Over the past few months, Ramzan Kadyrov’s influence over mixed martial arts has been a topic of growing significance within the sport’s landscape. Mainstream outlets have begun to investigate the Chechen leader’s strategic interest in sports, which includes a MMA promotion that has produced three current UFC fighters. On Saturday September 2nd, the final of Kadyrov’s current crop of UFC competitors will make his promotional debut in Rotterdam.
Prior to the proliferation of mixed martial arts events and promotions in Russia over the past couple of years, there were few places for upcoming fighters to gain experience.