Every week, Combat Press takes a look at three regional, developmental and international cards from the upcoming weekend, previewing from each a single fight to which people should pay close attention. We will also list other significant bouts from the card, as well as information on how to follow each promotion and watch the events.
Let’s discover those prospects that fight in the obscurity of the regional, developmental and international circuits, waiting for their shot at the bright lights and big stage of the UFC, and those veterans looking for one more chance at stardom.
It all begins here, in the small convention centers and high school gymnasiums. It all begins with promotions such as these…
Vyacheslav Vasilevskiy (33-8) vs. Bogdan Guskov (10-1)
Fight Nights Global celebrates Christmas weekend with a doubleheader that starts on Thursday with the league’s Winter Cup entry. The lineup is heavy on prospects, but it also features some established names, including that of 41-fight veteran Vyacheslav Vasilevskiy. The former M-1 Challenge champion will serve as the next test for Bogdan Guskov, who enters the cage for this affair with a strong 10-1 mark.
Despite a career that extends back to 2008, Vasilevskiy is still just 32 years old. “Slava” got off to an excellent start in which he went 17-1 through his first 18 fights. This run included a light-heavyweight title reign with M-1 Challenge and a successful Bellator debut against Victor O’Donnell. He also notched stoppages over Xavier Foupa-Pokam and Tomasz Narkun along the way. After a decision loss to Maiquel Falcão in his second Bellator appearance, Vasilevskiy returned to his homeland and started another winning