A Potential hurdle... Russian-Dagestani / Eastern European takeover

[krelianx]

what you’re seeing is that very rich people from the middle east have been investing in combat sports. the recent pandering push toward that region has less to do with dagestan and more to do with muslims. as others have pointed out, many of the fighters you mentioned aren’t dagestani. yet they will be perfectly marketable in the middle east due to their cultural identities as muslims.

the takeaway is that you are not watching some organic takeover of dagestani wrestlers or something like that. you’re taking in a well-funded marketing push toward the middle east.

I do think if the UFC signed the top 5 fighters from Russia in every division it would be pretty hard to keep them from titles and ranks.

 

[mister piscadinha]

Okay, you can add Illia there. And he is half Spanish, so it is unlikely he is Caucasian.

i thought he was half spanish too, but according to wikipedia he's full georgian

 

[krelianx]

i thought he was half spanish too, but according to wikipedia he's full georgian

Interesting. Still, I don't think this is an ethnic issue; Russia and Dagestan have a wrestling pedigree beyond every other country and they produce the best MMA fighters in the world currently, I think.

 

[shunyata]

I said Russian-Dagestani or Eastern European champions in the first sentence, and said moving forward. Did you even read the post or just read the title and assumed the content?

Isn't Shavkat Kazakh? That's in Asia.

You need to check your geography bro.

 

[Goutfather]

I do think if the UFC signed the top 5 fighters from Russia in every division it would be pretty hard to keep them from titles and ranks.

and where are those top fighters right now?

 

[Fox by the Sea]

they're not interesting to americans because they're not loud and obnoxious like conor.
it's a different culture, more quiet. as someone from eastern euro myself, i didn't find them different from what i'm used to, it's just the norm around here to mostly not make a fool of yourself in public. remember when khabib jumped from the cage to start a fight. yeah, nobody liked that around here, and he probably got a solid yelling session from his dad for it.

 

[krelianx]

Isn't Shavkat Kazakh? That's in Asia.

You need to check your geography bro.

For God fucking's sake I already recognized I made a mistake.

 

[krelianx]

and where are those top fighters right now?

Some are in Bellator/PFL, some are in the UFC, some are in teh mother Russia... there was a thread I made where someone posted several names that were really.

Check this post:

Bellator's Russian talent rivals some of the best in the UFC

I think most people underestimate how much talent there is in Russia and Eastern Europe. In the UFC obviously some of the most menacing prospects, contenders, and champions, are from the region: Evloev, Umar, Islam, Shavkat, Khamzat, Ankalaev... But currently Bellator has been very good in...

forums.sherdog.com

 

[shunyata]

For God fucking's sake I already recognized I made a mistake.

bro you're all over the place

conflating Georgia, Kazakhstan, Dagestan, and Russia

you're passing off an American of Palestinian heritage as Eastern bloc because he did a bit of training with some guys

by this logic I'm Brazilian

plus you're ignoring the very serious political issues going down right now which are actively screwing over gyms and prospects in Dagestan and Chechnya

honestly this is the crest of the wave, Putin and Kadyrov are strangling any potential for the next decade

 

[krelianx]

bro you're all over the place

conflating Georgia, Kazakhstan, Dagestan, and Russia

you're passing off an American of Palestinian heritage as Eastern bloc

plus you're ignoring the very serious political issues going down right now which are actively screwing over gyms and prospects in Dagestan and Chechnya

I didn't conflate those places, I said Russia, Dagestan and Eastern Europe. I mistook Shavkat for Russian, and mentioned Belal, who is not from E Europe. That's it.

I mentioned Evloev, Valentina, Ankalaev, Umar, Islam, Khamzat, Merab (Georgian), who are all from the region I am discussing.

 

[shunyata]

I didn't conflate those places, I said Russia, Dagestan and Eastern Europe. I mistook Shavkat for Russian, and mentioned Belal, who is not from E Europe. That's it.

I mentioned Evloev, Valentina, Ankalaev, Umar, Islam, Khamzat, Merab (Georgian), who are all from the region I am discussing.

it's all downhill from here for the next few years

Putin ran Khabib out of the country with a fake tax bill for refusing to publicly endorse the war in Ukraine

you've got gyms getting raided over terrorist activity in Dagestan

and Kadyrov getting fighters killed by trying to use them as mafia muscle and walking them into a gunfight unarmed

then there's the Russian draft / conscription which is about to go into overdrive

 

[mister piscadinha]

Interesting. Still, I don't think this is an ethnic issue; Russia and Dagestan have a wrestling pedigree beyond every other country and they produce the best MMA fighters in the world currently, I think.

the ex-soviet countries will always produce good fighters i guess, but i dont see them dominating as much as america and brazil

 

[Kompromat]

You could just say post-Soviet countries which are all very Sambo influenced as far as MMA goes and there you go. You can include Merab, Ilia, Shavkat, Arman easy and many more

 

[Harlekin]

Okay, you can add Illia there. And he is half Spanish, so it is unlikely he is Caucasian.

He has georgian parents and was born in germany.
Went to spain at age 15

 

[krelianx]

You could just say post-Soviet countries which are all very Sambo influenced as far as MMA goes and there you go. You can include Merab, Ilia, Shavkat, Arman easy and many more

Didn't Illia grow up and train in Spain though?

 

[krelianx]

He has georgian parents and was born in germany.
Went to spain at age 15

So is his training background from...? I'm not making a claim about ethnicity. I think E. Europe and Russia in particular, and Dagestan in particular, has the best wrestlers in the world. But it is cultural. Other regions have comparable athletic talent, they just have an incredible tradition.

 

[usernamee]

they just have an incredible tradition.

are you talking about the bathtubs?

 

[krelianx]

are you talking about the bathtubs?

Men, hairy men. Grappling, hairy, men. Russian men. Hairy Russian men, grappling, sweaty.

Champions.

 

[usernamee]

Men, hairy men. Grappling, hairy, men. Russian men. Hairy Russian men, grappling, sweaty.

Champions.

Now THIS should've been your OP and you wouldn't have had to argue so much with people in here.

 

[krelianx]

Now THIS should've been your OP and you wouldn't have had to argue so much with people in here.

I should have known I'd get rammed...