(Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images)

With no major U.S. based organization offering an MMA fight card this July 4th weekend, the M-1 Challenge takes center stage.

M-1 Challenge, billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” is a team-based competition which features a series of events around the world where MMA clubs from different countries compete against each other. Each team consists of five athletes with one in each weight class ranging from lightweight to heavyweight. Teams are placed in Group A though Group D.

The latest destination for this weekend’s competition is Seoul Korea where six different teams are in action. The slated match-ups pit Bulgaria (1-1) vs. Finland (1-1), USA West (2-0) vs. Imperial Russia (0-2), and Brazil Naja (1-1) vs. Korea.

The M-1 challenge operates as a global minor league MMA system, and if successful, fighters can work their way to the main stage of the sport like past M-1 fighters Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Keith Jardine, Alistair Overeem, Yushin Okami, Ben Rothwell, Mike Pyle, Melvin Manhoef, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, and others have done.

With that said, lets take a look at five of the individual matches which feature fighters who could be headed to a major MMA organization in the not too distant future.

Welterweight Fight: Janne Tulirinta (Finland/11-3) vs. Ivan Ivanov (Bulgaria/5-2)

Tulirinta is even better then his his 11-3 indicates. Already a talented submission fighter, Tulirinta’s standup game has made remarkable strides this season and is the best welterweight in this year’s M-1 Challenge. With the welterweight division outside of the UFC lacking, Tulirinta could be ready now.

Tulirinta did not suffer a scratch during his 11 second TKO over USA East’s Anthony Ford just 30 days ago. Ivanove is a legitimate threat and with the win for Tulirinta will put himself in a position to take his career to the next stage.

Middleweight Fight: Giva Santana (USA West/12-1) vs. Radmir Gabdullin (Russia Imperial/4-1)

11 of Santana’s 12 wins are via armbar submission. “The Arm Collector” is looking to add to that list and take Gabdullin’s arm back home with him to Team Oyama in Orange County, Calif. But with a strong Sambo background and all four of his pro wins coming via submission, Santana will not have an easy time on the ground.

As such, don’t be surprised we if we see some of Santana’s improving standup, as his striking skills have begun to evolve thanks to a lot of sparring with USA West heavyweight Shane Del Rosario. With a another submission win, Satanta would make a nice addition to the Strikeforce Middleweight division.

Heavyweight Fight: Shane Del Rosario (USA West/6-0) vs. Maksim Grishin (Russia Imperial/2-2)

After competing for ShoXC and once for the M-1 Challenge, Del Rosario finds himself with a perfect 6-0 record and a reputation for being one of the most dynamic strikers in the heavyweight division. A member of Colin Oyama’s Team Oyama, Del Rosario has been working hard with Giva Santana to improve his ground game.

If his submission skills can rival his standup ability Del Rosario will move one step closer in his evolution from a top heavyweight prospect to a legitimate title contender. A win there could send Del Rasario into a high profile fight under the Affliction or Strikeforce banner.

But a win over Grishin is hardly a given, as he is rates as one of the best prospects coming up in the new generation of Team Imperial fighters.

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