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BAMMA 21, Barnaoui

Despite M-1 Global filing a lawsuit against KSW and Mansour Barnaoui, the Polish promotion affirm the Frenchman will remain on the KSW 35 card this Friday, May 27.

Last Friday, Russian based M-1 Global announced that they would be filing a lawsuit against KSW and Barnaoui, due to a ‘violation of his contractual agreements with M-1 Global’.

Reportedly still signed to M-1, Barnaoui (12-3) accepted a fight against KSW Lightweight champion Mateusz Gamrot (10-0) – which M-1 claimed was a contractual violation.

23-year-old Barnaoui was the M-1 Global Lightweight champion, but was recently stripped of the title.

M-1 filed the lawsuit to the European Court and expressed that Mansour will face a ‘large fine and an injunction to fight for a significant time’.

According to M-1, both KSW and Mansour avoided any potential negotiations; such as an offer to replace him with an alternate M-1 fighter.

M-1 Global gave KSW 48 hours from May 20 to cancel the fight between Barnaoui and Gamrot, however an official statement from KSW claims that fight will still go ahead:

“In response to M-1 Global claims directed towards KSW Federation and fighter Mansour Barnaoui, KSW Federation declares as follows:

On April 6th 2016 KSW Federation signed the promotional agreement with fighter Mansour Barnaoui regulating his participation in the MMA events organized by KSW. The agreement was concluded on the initiative of the fighter, who expressed his desire to participate in events organized by KSW. According to Mr. Barnaoui, he is not bound to promotional agreement or any other agreement with M-1 Global, or with any other MMA promotion. KSW Federation finds no factual or legal basis to challenge the truthfulness of fighter’s statement.

It is not true that KSW Federation allegedly did not respond to M-Global position in this situation or avoided contact. The negotiations between KSW Federation and M-1 Global took place, but during them M-1 Global failed to provide legitimate evidence to challenge fighter’s statement. In the course of negotiations, KSW Federation presented an offer of a conciliatory solution to the dispute, which was not accepted by M-1 Global.

Consequently, all M-1 Global claims directed towards KSW and Mr. Mansour Barnaoui have to be considered as having no factual or legal basis and as such will not affect the scheduled bout between Mateusz Gamrot and Mansour Barnaoui on May 27th 2016”

Unless the European Court place an injunction on Barnaoui from competing (which would require evidence that the former BAMMA champion is in violation of his contract) the bout is expected to go ahead.

Stay tuned to MMA PLUS for more updates on the situation as it continues to develop.