Karim Zidan Interview with Kid Nate | MMA Tête-À-Tète
Tête-à-tête (French “head-to-head”): noun – a private conversation between two people, usually in an intimate setting. | adjective – involving or happening between two people in private. | adverb – between two people in private.
MMA SQUARED: Dana White says the UFC isn't woke? FALSE. Combat Wombat has receipts.
Intrepid MMA journalist Combat Wombat has the receipts about Dana White's woke deceit.
Meet the MMA coach who protects Drag Queen Story Hour
Check out this exclusive interview with the MMA coach who won't let bigots disrupt Drag Queen Story Hour.
How Andrew Tate used MMA and Islam to revamp his image
Divisive social media influencer Andrew Tate is utilizing both MMA and Islam to revamp his image.
MMA Squared: UFC WWE merger cements Ari Emanuel's legacy, but not how he hoped.
The UFC WWE merger implies that the UFC’s valuation has tripled in the years since it’s purchase by Endeavor; SURELY fighter compensation has followed suit… right? For way more artwork, join the new BloodyElbow.substack.com where I’ll be making cartoons, illustrations, and the occasional piece of Fine Art. Take care of yourself and I’ll talk to […]
Youth Olympic boxing medalist killed fighting for Ukraine
The boxer-turned-soldier was reportedly serving in the occupied eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk region when he died.
Vladimir Putin and Steven Seagal’s strategic bromance is stronger than ever
Fluctuating between political asset and personal stooge, Steven Seagal continues to prove his worth to his Russian overlord.
Steven Seagal launches Aikido centre to train Russians for military service
Seagal has been the head instructor of the Russian Aikido Federation since 2018.
Kamaru Usman and other UFC fighters visited warlord Kadyrov. Now they’re headlining UFC 286
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and former interim lightweight champ Justin Gaethje will be prominently featured at UFC 286 despite potentially violating sanctions.
UFC’s Russian broadcast partner censors MMA fighter for supporting Ukraine
On Saturday, Mar. 11, Merab Dvalishvili defeated former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan in a lopsided beatdown at UFC Vegas 71. Yet despite breaking the UFC record in takedown attempts and securing a career-best in significant strikes landed in a single fight, the Georgian fighter opted to use his post-fight speech in the Octagon to […]
MMA fighter Jeff Monson plans to renounce US citizenship: ‘I love Russia’
Jeff Monson—the former UFC title challenger who became a Russian politician and wartime propagandist—claims to be in the process of renouncing his U.S. citizenship. “I am in the process of renouncing American citizenship,” Monson told Russian state media outlet Tassru. “In the spring I will only have a Russian passport. I do not agree with […]
The UFC can help stop Ramzan Kadyrov’s MMA influence, if it cared to
Despite the recent scandal and mounting government pressure, Ramzan Kadyrov’s influence continues to loom large over the UFC.
Oleksandr Usyk calls on IOC not to allow Russians to compete at Paris Olympics
Ukrainian world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk believes that any medals that Russian athletes win at the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games in Paris would be “medals of blood, death, tears.” Usyk’s statement came in response to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) attempts to facilitate the return of Russian and Belarusian athletes at the upcoming Games. […]
Brave’s Luiz Cado lost sponsors due to left-wing views, feels hopeful after Bolsonaro lost elections
Brave Combat Federation welterweight Luiz Cado is in the minority. A declared left-wing mixed martial artist, ‘Golden Boy’ is one of the most vocal athletes to oppose former far-right Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Being a fighter and hailing from the South of Brazil, the region with the most Bolsonaro voters in the country, the 30-year-old […]
Russian MMA fighter sporting neo-Nazi tattoos awarded medal for role in ‘denazification’ of Ukraine
A Russian MMA fighter sporting neo-Nazi tattoos has been awarded a medal for his role in the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Mikhail Turkanov was awarded the Order of Courage by the North Slavic Community, a self-proclaimed “military-patriotic society of modern Cossacks.” The group announced the news on its official social media page, along with a […]
UFC fighters train with Ramzan Kadyrov’s son and entourage in Thailand
A handful of UFC fighters are currently training alongside Ramzan Kadyrov’s 16-year-old son and entourage in Thailand, further emphasizing the dictator’s growing influence on the sport. In January 2022, Khamzat Chimaev arrived at the renowned Tiger Muay Thai training facility in Phuket, Thailand with a horde of fighters from Kadyrov’s infamous fight club, Akhmat MMA—an […]
Iranian karate champion given 15 minutes to plead case before receiving death penalty
Mohammad Mehdi Karami, a national karate champion who was executed in Iran on Jan. 7, was given a mere 15 minutes to defend himself in court before being sentenced to death. The 22-year-old was one of four men executed for their alleged involvement in nationwide protests in Iran four months ago related to the death […]
MMA champ joins Russia’s war; now stationed in occupied Ukraine
A mixed martial arts champion has joined Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. AMC Fight Nights middleweight titleholder Vladimir Mineev is reportedly stationed in Donetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine that is currently occupied by Russian forces. The news was announced by AMC Fight Nights president Kamil Ghadjiev, who noted that Mineev was taking part in a […]
UFC vet Arroyo relieved Bolsonaro wasn’t re-elected, hopes society learned the dangers of far-right politics
Former UFC middleweight Antonio Arroyo is a straight, middle-class, Brazilian man, but he is still a minority. Much like the first guest of the ‘Not All Brazilians’ series, Virna Jandiroba, the 33-year-old differs from most of his fellow fighters when the subject is politics. Born and raised in Para, one of the seven states of […]
UFC star Jose Aldo wants a Bolsonaro plaque in his home: ‘The president of Brazil stayed here’
Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo is proud of hosting former president of Brazil in his Orlando home, in the United States. Following some backlash from the public who do not agree with his political views, the Brazilian explained the reason why he decided to ex-head of state. In a conversation on Flow Podcast, one […]
Indian wrestling champion accuses federation president with ties to Modi of sexual exploitation
Protests continue to intensify in India after one of the country’s most decorated athletes accused the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and ruling party MP of sexually exploiting women wrestlers. Vinesh Phogat, a medalist at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, revealed that at least 10 woman wrestlers confessed to her that […]
MMA fighter-turned-mercenary awarded medal from Putin for service in Ukraine
An Armenian MMA fighter who was later recruited as as a mercenary for the infamous Wagner Group has been awarded a medal by Russian president Vladimir Putin for serving in Ukraine. Hayk Gasparyan, 31, was awarded the Order of Courage by Putin himself during a ceremony in Rostov-on-Don, a city in southern Russia, earlier this […]
MMA fighter who appealed to Kadyrov to help locate missing aunt found dead on train
A Russian MMA fighter who appealed to Ramzan Kadyrov last year to help find his missing aunt in Chechnya has been found dead on a train. Georgiy Gagloev, 25, was reportedly found dead on board a train traveling from Moscow to Vladikavkaz. His body was discovered during a stop in Rostov-on-Don. A source who spoke […]
Khabib has no plans to pursue political career
Khabib Nurmagomedov has no plans to enter the political arena following his decision to leave his budding mixed martial arts coaching career behind. According to Russian state-run media outlet Tass.ru, the former UFC champion is likely to focus on other his other businesses outside of the sport. “Khabib does not plan to pursue a political […]
Report: Saudi Arabia in talks to buy WWE, expand sportswashing empire
In the wake of Vince McMahon rejoining the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) board of directors to begin a potential sale process for his company, Saudi Arabia has reportedly emerged as a potential frontrunner to purchase the world’s largest wrestling promotion. According to various reports, the controversial kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has shown interest in […]
Iran executes karate champion amid nationwide protests
Two men, including a karate athlete, have been executed for their alleged role in anti-regime protests in November. Mohammad Mehdi Karami and Seyed Mohammad Hosseini were hanged early Saturday morning, according to the state-affiliated Fars News. The pair were were convicted of killing a Basij paramilitary force member during nationwide protests that started after the […]
Oleksandr Usyk hopes for ‘peace’ in Ukraine in 2023
In a video message posted on Instagram, world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk expressed his hopes for “victory” and “peace” in his native Ukraine in 2023. “I want to wish only one thing – what I want, and what all Ukrainians want,” Usyk said according to Ukrainian publication Sport.ua. “We want victory, we want peace, […]
Kadyrov’s MMA promotion plans Grand Prix tournaments with $10m prize fund
Ramzan Kadyrov continues to expand his influence over the sport of mixed martial arts. Most recently, the MMA organization owned by the Chechen dictator accused of gross human rights abuses, Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA), is planning to hold grand prix tournaments across all weight classes with a total prize fund of $10 million. The news […]
Report: Former Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro takes up residence at Jose Aldo’s Florida home
If the last five years or so have made anything abundantly clear, it’s that far-right politicians can find some of their staunchest supporters in the world of mixed martial arts. Whether it’s fighters like Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal stumping for Donald Trump, or Wanderlei Silva and Fabricio Werdum chilling with Jair Bolsonaro, or the […]
Former UFC fighter and Kadyrov ally reportedly died under mysterious circumstances
Abdul-Kerim Edilov—the former UFC fighter who moonlighted as a babysitter and martial arts coach for Ramzan Kadyrov’s children—has died. The news was first reported by Chechen opposition movements 1ADAT and Niyso, both of whom revealed the news on their respective Telegram channels. According to 1ADAT, Edilov passed away on the morning of Dec. 29. The […]