There's an emerging trend in MMA: pictures of Russian and North Caucasian fighters standing awkwardly in front of luxurious vehicles with captions that show their appreciation for the "gift" they have just received. Fighters publicly thanking unsavory politicians and shady oligarchs; rich men funding extravagant gifts for star national athletes.
Most recently, UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov was gifted a Mercedes AMG GT by one of the wealthiest men in Russia: Dagestani billionaire Ziyavudin Magomedov, who was once interested in purchasing a stake in the UFC.
"At my arrival to Moscow, I was hosted by Ziyavudin Magomedov," Khabib said in an Instagram post showing off the vehicle.