In December 2016, new UFC owner Ari Emanuel and longtime president Dana White flew to Moscow to meet with deputy prime minister Vitaly Mutko, where they attempted to set the wheels in motion for a potential UFC event in Russia.
The high-ranking government official was shown a presentation that highlighted the economic benefits of hosting a UFC event in Russia. Mutko later told the Russian media that “he met with the UFC owners” who informed him that they “do not have a single partner or a title fight in Russia.”
While the deputy prime minister seemed interested in the presentation, he was more focused on the undefeated Dagestani fighter representing Russia in the UFC.