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Stories from Russia
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October 13
Russian boxing establishment welcomes nazi ex-con with open arms
Vyacheslav Datsik, a former MMA fighter who spent time in prison for attacking sex workers at a brothel, has reinvented himself as a bareknuckle boxer.
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February 12, 2020
Feature: Chechen critic’s murder calls attention to UFC’s ties to Kadyrov
Karim Zidan delves into the latest assassination of a Chechen critic and how the bloody incident indirectly calls attention to the UFC’s longstanding relationship with Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov.
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May 22, 2019
U.S. sanctions Kadyrov henchman w/ ties to UFC
Karim Zidan delves into the United States’ decision to sanction Abuzayed Vismuradov, one of the most powerful men in Chechnya who also happens to run his Akhmat MMA fight club.
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March 26, 2019
Putin appoints kickboxer as head of Kalmykia region
Batu Khasikov will serve as the acting head of the Kalmykia region in the latest Kremlin shake-up.
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March 7, 2019
Blogger arrested for inciting extremism against performances Khabib criticized
Ahmed Israpilov was arrested and charged with inciting extremism against the rap concert and Hunting for Men play that Khabib Nurmagomedov spoke out against.
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February 26, 2019
Producer threatened after Khabib criticizes staging of play in Dagestan
The UFC champion called the play "filth" and threatened to take action if the Dagestani government does not hold people responsible for the "direct insult."
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February 7, 2019
Feature: Chechen crime boss linked to Kadyrov opens boxing gym in Ukraine
Karim Zidan delves into the newly opened Brothers Boxing Club in Ukraine, as well the Chechen crime boss who acts as the gym’s patron.
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February 6, 2019
Khabib poses with Kadyrov after ‘gay purge’ reports
The UFC lightweight champion posted the picture with Kadyrov on his personal Instagram account, as well as a second one of his father being gifted a new car by the Chechen dictator.
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February 5, 2019
Trial imminent for Russian MMA oligarch & Khabib patron
Karim Zidan delves into the upcoming trial of Ziyavudin Magomedov, the Dagestani oligarch who funded UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov’s career, as well as Russian promotion Fight Nights.
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January 17, 2019
Renewed gay purge in Chechnya places spotlight on the UFC’s links to Ramzan Kadyrov
Karim Zidan delves into the reports of a renewed gay purge in the Chechen Republic, and how this reflects on the UFC’s continued association with Ramzan Kadyrov.
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December 18, 2018
How the ACB/Akhmat merger expands Kadyrov’s influence in MMA
Karim Zidan delves into the recent merger between Chechen promotions ACB and Akhmat MMA.
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November 19, 2018
UFC fighter defends Dagestan nightclub shooter who killed officer
The UFC lightweight fighter came to the aid of his former training partner after he shot and killed a police officer at a nightclub in Dagestan.
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October 6, 2018
MMA fighters who work for oligarch linked to Khabib arrested for attempted murder
MMA fighters employed as security guards by jailed oligarch Ziyavudin Magomedov’s private holding company ‘Summa Group’ have been arrested for attempted murder.
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September 21, 2018
All the Champion’s Men: A look at the shady figures linked to UFC champ Khabib Nurmagomedov
Karim Zidan delves into the shady figures currently linked to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
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September 13, 2018
Feature: A strongman’s shadow looms over UFC:Moscow
Karim Zidan delves into the UFC’s decision to allow a fighter affiliated to Ramzan Kadyrov to compete on the promotion’s debut in Russia, despite the ongoing human rights abuses in the Chechen Republic.
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September 12, 2018
Clan Feuds & Controversy: The Peculiar Story of UFC Moscow’s Adam Yandiev
Karim Zidan delves into the background of Adam Yandiev, one of the most intriguing characters to sign a contract with the UFC.
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September 11, 2018
Feature: How the UFC and M-1 Global joined forces on Russia venture
Karim Zidan delves into the newfound relationship between the UFC and M-1 Global, and why the two promotions came to an agreement after a decade of conflict.
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August 8, 2018
Feature: The Changing Landscape of Russian MMA
Karim Zidan delves into the apparent downfall of notable Russian promotions such as Fight Nights Global and ACB, as well as the changing landscape ahead of UFC:Moscow.
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June 7, 2018
New fight promotion headed by Steven Seagal linked to Trump-Russia scandal
Karim Zidan delves into the newly founded Zhara Fight Show to determine its bizarre connection to the Russia-Trump scandal.
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May 29, 2018
Monson finally awarded Russian citizenship by Putin
The former UFC fighter has been working towards a Russian passport for several years.
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May 29, 2018
Khabib vouches for oligarch linked to organized crime
The UFC champion was one of several notable athletes who vouched for oligarch Ziyavudin Magomedov, who was arrested in March on embezzlement and organized crime charges.
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May 22, 2018
Russian MMA fighter who formed violent neo-nazi gang faces trial
Nikita Fedonenko allegedly formed a neo-nazi gang in Omsk that was behind the murder an Armenian man in 2016.
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May 10, 2018
There is a new oligarch in the fight game
Karim Zidan looks at the reasons behind copper mining tycoon Igor Altushkin’s investment in combat sports
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May 3, 2018
Fedor, the FBI, and the ‘Fix-it Guy’
Karim Zidan delves into the combat sports background of Michael Cohen, President Trump’s lawyer who was recently raided by the FBI.
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April 5, 2018
Feature: An Eastern Star on Western Soil
Karim Zidan delves into the ongoing political divide between the United States and the Russian Federation, and how it impacts athletes like UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov.