From time immemorial, there was an opinion that the crowd needed two main things - bread and circuses. It goes without saying that such a statement in the modern interpretation implies that people have sufficient means for a normal life. Since on at the moment Since a fairly impressive part of the planet’s population has all the material benefits, it was quite logical for the emergence of new entertainment for the public, which is sometimes quite cruel, but at the same time spectacular.
One of these tournaments, which arose at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries and still attracts millions of viewers to this day, is the UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship. It is this media product that has grown from a small tournament into a global organization, under the auspices of which a great many famous athletes from all corners of our earth perform. Thanks to this championship martial arts received enormous recognition and love, and the owners of the promotion received billions in profits.
A brief excursion into history
So, before we figure out how to get into the UFC, first of all, let's get acquainted with the main milestones in the emergence of the organization itself.
It owes its origins to businessman from California Arthur Davey. It was his studies of martial arts that in 1991 allowed him to meet one of the adherents of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Rorion Gracie. This tandem subsequently stimulated the holding of the world's first tournament among fighters of different disciplines. It happened on November 12, 1993, when representatives of boxing, karate, savate, shootboxing, sumo and jiu-jitsu met in the octagon cage. It was a Brazilian named Royce Grace who eventually won the first UFC championship. There were no weight categories at that time.
Features of the first competitions
Despite the fact that the motto “No rules!” was initially cultivated, in reality this was not the case. It was forbidden to gouge out eyes, bite, hit in the groin, or tear open the mouth. Basically, the fighters adhered to a certain ethics and did not take liberties. Although there is a known case when in a duel between Hackney and Sana, the latter was struck several deliberate blows to the wound. In addition, the newly created martial arts were characterized by the fact that the anthropometric difference between rivals could be simply gigantic. So, in the fight between Keith Hackney and Emmanuel Yarborough, the difference in weight was 180 kilograms.
Confrontation with the Senator
Today many fighters ask the question: “How to get into the UFC?” But after the first competition, US Senator John McCain made every effort to ban the now insanely popular promotion. According to the politician, such fights were the personification of cruelty and had no right to exist. Therefore, he sent letters to all states of the country asking them to ban the broadcast of such tournaments. For this reason, the UFC contacted the athletic commissions and made changes to the rules and regulations, due to which protective gloves appeared, the number of bans increased, and rounds with a certain duration (five minutes) were established.
Salvation
Long ordeals and bureaucratic red tape brought the UFC to the brink of extinction. But the situation changed radically when in 2001 former promoter Boxing boxer Dana White and several casino executives Frank and Lorenzo Faritta bought the organization for $2 million. To do this, they created a company called Zuffa.
Rules
Almost every fighter, before joining the UFC, is already quite familiar with the rules. The leading American MMA organization in its regulations for conducting fights adheres to the following requirements:
Taboo
As for prohibited actions, the following are not allowed in the Octagon:
Weight frames
- flyweight (53 to 57 kg);
- light weight (from 57 to 61 kg);
- semi light weight(from 61 to 66 kg);
- light weight (from 66 to 70 kg);
- welterweight (from 70 to 77 kg);
- average weight (from 77 to 84 kg);
- light heavyweight (from 84 to 93 kg);
- heavy weight (from 93 to 120 kg).
For women, there is also a minimum weight (from 48 kg to 52 kg).
Ways to sign a contract with the UFC
If you analyze what it takes to get into the UFC, you can find out: the fighter in this tournament is the athlete who adheres to several points. We will dwell on them in more detail.
You must have a certain talent and train regularly with full dedication.
As practice shows, this statement is 100% correct. There are many cases where a talented fighter was never able to fully realize himself due to elementary laziness. Therefore, as popular wisdom says: “Work and labor will grind everything down.”
There are a huge number of examples when a fighter began his career in a promotion less known than the UFC. Take the same Eddie Alvarez. This guy started his performances in Bellator, became a champion there and eventually ended up in the UFC. Or Belarusian Andrei Arlovski, who, as many believed, had already gone off the rails big sport, returned to the main octagon of the planet thanks to his diligence and ability to work.
Make the public and TV people fall in love with you
This is exactly how Chael Sonnen fought for the title three times, who, in principle, does not have outstanding fighting skills. In fact, this point helps to understand how Conor McGregor got into the UFC, since he is also a recognized master of trash talk. Due to his bright and sparkling statements, he was able to attract the attention of the public, and then back up his words with active actions in the cage, literally shocking the world with an instant victory over former champion
Qualify via TUF
The Ultimate Fighter is a show that hundreds of fighters have gone through and saved the organization from bankruptcy. This “meat grinder” included: Nate Diaz, Kenny Florian, Forrest Griffin, Mat Serra, Josh Koscheck, Rashad Evans and many other stars whom many MMA fans know today. It was thanks to the battles in this mini-tournament that many guys ended up at the top.
Being "scarce"
In this case, only weight is meant. If you look at how many fights it takes for a middleweight to reach the title shot, and how many for a fighter in the flyweight division, it becomes clear: a small fighter will be in a more advantageous position.
Be a star of any other martial arts
Everything is clear here. Promoting an athlete who has already created a name for himself is much easier than raising him from the bottom. A poster in the style of “the best boxer in the world in the past, and now an MMA fighter” will always attract the public and, accordingly, money, for which everything, in principle, is being done. And finally, another way to get into the UFC.
Fill out the form
Most recently, the UFC provided athletes with the opportunity to fill out an online form on their website and post videos of their fights. Based on the results of the reviews, management can make an offer to the fighter to sign a contract. As we see, modern technologies also do their job and save athletes time.
These briefly described actions allow you to understand how to get to the UFC, fights in which are a matter of prestige for many hand-to-hand combat masters.
35 have currently signed a contract with the UFC Russian fighters. Several dozen more would like to sign it. Match TV asks how to do this.
From 1993 to 2012, five fighters from Russia managed to compete in the UFC, who had 17 fights between them (9 of them were Oleg Taktarov). From 2012 to the present, 46 fighters representing Russia have entered the Octagon. First in new era became Khabib Nurmagomedov (debut on January 20, 2012), in the same year Rustam Khabilov and Azamat Gashimov fought their fights. After this, Russians began to sign contracts with the UFC much more often.
Khabib’s contract was negotiated by his close friend Eldar Eldarov with manager Sam Cardan (real name Shamil Kardanov - Match TV), and Cardan with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.
Since 2016, Joe Silva has not worked for the UFC, and even earlier, Khabib Nurmagomedov began collaborating with the tandem of managers Rizvan Magomedov and Ali Abdelaziz, considered one of the most influential in the UFC. Abdelaziz and Magmoedov manage the affairs of most fighters from Russia; Sayat Abdrakhmanov is considered the second in the number of signed Russians. Several more fighters from Russia are managed by managers with fewer athletes under contracts. At the same time as more and more fighters from Russia enter into agreements with the UFC, stories when someone failed to get into the organization begin to sound more acute.
Sayat Abdrakhmanov - about the lack of clear criteria
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlhfX7nFxuM/Story: Abdrakhmanov manages the affairs of more than ten fighters signed in the UFC, Petr Yan (No. 4 in the bantamweight ranking) works with him, and the manager himself simultaneously collaborates with the Tiger gym in Thailand.
Nowadays it’s much easier to sign up: there are more tournaments, the geography is expanding, the UFC is interested in new fighters. And there is no clear criterion with which you will definitely be accepted. The advantages remain an undefeated record, spectacular victories, and the ability to somehow stand out. There are many fighters, and other things being equal, they will choose the one who is media, who speaks English, and who has no problems with obtaining a visa. Plus, doping tests are a very relevant issue for the Russian market. Russian organizations do not have them, and accordingly, not all fighters can enter the UFC on short notice in order to immediately pass clean tests.
Statistics 20-0 does not guarantee anything, and, on the contrary, there are examples when people were signed without a record in MMA: they gave a contract to Bilyal Makhov (world champion in wrestling; also fought in the UFC without experience in MMA professional boxer James Toney. - “Match TV”), so if you are very popular or have merit in some other sports, you can sign a contract without experience in MMA. Some fighters were signed with negative statistics and unfinished defeats; the chances in such cases are less, but there were examples.
Give us specific examples. Arman Tsarukyan has excellent statistics, but he is not the most popular fighter in Russia, and among those he has defeated there are no known opponents, but he receives a contract. Sergei Khandozhko with a large number of defeats in last battles- Same. Alexander Shlemenko and Eduard Vartanyan - no.
Arman Tsarukyan signed up for a certain tournament - he needed an opponent for Islam Makhachev. On short notice, there were few people willing to fight Islam. Arman was ready, stylistically and level-wise. Sergey Khandozhko - many say “UFC level or not UFC level.” If they signed you, it means you are UFC level. The UFC has its own reasons, and not every fighter is signed to become a champion (according to Match TV, Sergey Khandozhko was signed with the participation of high-ranking officials from Krasnodar region, where the UFC tournament was previously planned. The approximate place and time of the event were Sochi, August 2019).
Eduard Vartanyan is UFC level as an athlete, but I guess if you want to sign with the UFC, that should be your priority and not a choice between several options. Perhaps he needs to be ready to leave on short notice, be ready to accept a reduction in his fee, but this is only if it is acceptable to him. In general, there may be a situation where a fighter will normally exist without the UFC, and the organization will live without him.
In the case of Alexander Shlemenko, as I can judge from the outside, it was important, firstly, to close the defeats that had happened before, secondly, to understand whether the UFC is ready to pay the same amount as he receives in Russia, thirdly, The UFC seems to have some nuances regarding doping tests for fighters who have had any problems with athletic commissions: if there were complaints against the athlete, then he can be tested for six months before being allowed to compete (Alexander Shlemenko had a trial with the California State Athletic Commission after he was accused of using illegal drugs - Match TV).
- If I have good conditions in Russia, do I have to accept a reduction in my fee when joining the UFC?
The standard fee in the UFC for a beginner is 10+10 thousand dollars, but this does not mean that you cannot get more. For example, they are ready to see how much you received before and can repeat the offer that was from the previous organization.
It is believed that because you work with Dani Rubinstein, who has an established relationship with Sean Shelby, it is easier to sign through you than through your competitors.
All managers who have more than 20 fighters in the UFC, and there are few of them, have direct contacts and built relationships with matchmakers. This is a matter of relationships, and there is no favoritism, it is a reputation that is earned over the years, which is guided by. It is important for a matchmaker that if he turns to you, you will be ready to help.
- How many people write to you asking someone to watch, someone to help?
In the direct message, requests for correspondence stopped at +99 and remain the same, although I often look through and try to respond, suddenly out of thousands of messages I come across something especially valuable. But I have so many fighters that I have to focus on those who are currently working with me and take care of their careers. Those with whom I work already have relationships, there is trust in each other, so it is very difficult to imagine that I would start working with someone completely unfamiliar - only if one of my friends or acquaintances recommends a specific person to me .
Alexander Skaredin - why fighters refuse to wait for the UFC
https://www.instagram.com/p/Be7xhQ6Aj--/Story: signed Roman Kopylov to the UFC, negotiated for a long time to sign Nikolai Aleksakhin, but in the end Aleksakhin, continuing to work with Skaredin, signed a contract with PFL.
Matchmakers are primarily involved in signing fighters in the UFC: Mick Maynard is responsible for the middle to heavyweight, flyweight and women's weight divisions; Sean Shelby is a Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight and Welterweight. Every matchmaker in any good organization is a very busy and sought-after person. And you have to understand how you can impress him, since their window to perceive some information is very small. I believe that the UFC looks at the fighters' records and maybe highlights. If you have a 60-second video of you brilliantly knocking out your opponents, that's also a plus. But in any case, the assessment of matchmakers remains subjective, and the issue of personal relationships is quite important. For example, I have direct contact with Mick Maynard, there is good communication, he can directly say who he would like to see and what data a fighter should have, what chances this or that person has to sign a contract. Sean Shelby is considered a slightly more honored person: he has been working in the UFC for a long time, he signed Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor, and it is much more difficult to sign through him. American managers Danny Rubinstein and Jason House have good contact with him, and their fighters get into the UFC more easily.
- But you couldn’t sign Aleksakhin and he left for the PFL.
When we were trying to get a contract for Nikolai Aleksakhin, we talked with Shelby for quite a long time. At first he said “keep winning,” then he looked for some options, then we just waited, and at some point he told us in plain text: “I have a gut feeling about who needs to be signed. I signed Rhonda when they didn't know anything about her. Signed Conor when he had stronger competitors...” We realized that you can wait a very long time, and we knew that there are examples where fighters wait a year or a year and a half before they are offered to fight at least in some tournament, and we decided to see what other options are on the market. As a result, two organizations made an offer to us, one of them sent a very good contract from a financial point of view, and we signed it (at the moment Nikolai Aleksakhin is a PFL fighter. - Match TV).
If Nikolai Aleksakhin gave more vivid interviews, he wore nice suits and would have 500 thousand subscribers?
My opinion is that, in general, matchmakers don’t care about the level of opposition, media exposure, or the number of subscribers on Instagram. I can say for sure that they are looking at some of the quickest things to understand: the record and methods of winning. About attempts to call one of the current UFC fighters, to make some kind of appeal, I have a word-for-word quote from one of the matchmakers: “This doesn’t mean anything.” The UFC does not have a task for everyone to be media, rather, they simply provide a platform, and on it natural selection begins, and everyone can decide how it will be better for them: to become media, to insult someone, to fight spectacularly.
Once upon a time, the signing of three fighters from Russia seemed like a big step forward. Now approximately 35 Russians have contracts - is this the ceiling?
We must understand that Russian market for the UFC this is not yet the highest priority area of interest. Although I would assume that a significant number will be added to the 35 fighters who are signed now, since we are objectively third after the USA and Brazil in the number of professional MMA fighters. But it’s interesting that if, for example, the UFC decides to enter India, Indian fighters will also enter the UFC, although we understand that the level of Indians in MMA is still low. That is, it was previously believed that the UFC is really absolutely best league in the world and they only get there best athletes, but now it is obvious to everyone that this is not entirely true. I would say that about a quarter of the UFC fighters are truly top, and the rest is the same level as in other promotions. There is an example of a Russian fighter who turned the tables on not the most understandable opponents, went undefeated, and was taken. He lost the first fight. More important point, that quite a lot of Russians have signed up for the lightweight category (up to 70.3 kg), and no one has been fired yet, so it will be very difficult to get into this particular category, and partly because of this, both Edurad Vartanyan and Alexander Shabliy are still standing on the spot. It turns out that 70 kg is a very heavy weight, followed by 77.1 and 65.8 kg. It's very difficult to sign up there.
Ivan Bannikov - how Alexander Volkov got into the UFC
https://www.instagram.com/p/BS9MjqLhH8L/Story: Volkov had two defeats in Bellator, after which he closed them out with fights in M-1, signed a contract with the UFC, received main fights in tournaments three times, is in the top 6 heavyweights and performed at the very big tournament UFC in Las Vegas.
Alexander left Bellator after two split decision losses. After that, he had two fights in M-1, where he took the belt, defended it and won early in each case. In addition, the UFC was hungry for heavyweights, so we signed the contract without any problems.
- When and how did you start communicating with people from the UFC?
In February 2016, Alexander became the M-1 champion, was preparing to defend the belt, and around that moment we talked with people from the UFC. In America we have good relationship with the Black House club, our friend, agent Ed Soares, works there. He helped us arrange a personal meeting with the matchmakers, and after that we already had a good business relationship. Now we can communicate with both matchmakers: Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard, and on some global issues we can contact Dana White.
- At the same time, many people have a question, why can’t Edurad Vartanyan, who collaborates with you, get into the UFC?
Nothing prevents Eduard from signing, except for certain bureaucratic processes associated with both the UFC and the league where he competes. I hope we will see Eduard in the UFC in the near future, it’s a matter of a couple of months. There are also several more fighters in Strela who may end up there in the near future, we just have plans to make sure that they come to the UFC to win and not lose.
Kirill Timofeev - how to get a lot of money under a new contract
https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ4MrhkFRe_/Story: Nikita Krylov was signed to the UFC back in 2013, after which he changed weight categories, began representing Russia rather than Ukraine in the promotion, left the UFC, had four fights in other organizations and, upon returning, signed a contract under which he received 80 thousand dollars per entering the battle and the same for victory.
From the moment Nikita left the UFC, we already understood that he would return there. At the same time, I became his manager and at first I simply asked my friends how I could get in touch with one of the matchmakers. While they were telling me “I’ll ask the guy who knows exactly who to ask,” we decided how Nikita’s career outside the UFC should be built. We assumed that he would have 3-4 fights, set dates and started performing at Fight Nights.
And then Kamil Gadzhiev gave me some pretty valuable advice, he suggested just emailing Mick Maynard and discussing Nikitin’s contract with him directly.
I found a contact, wrote, and he responded. We started discussing the contract. The fact that Nikita had already fought in the UFC had an influence, plus at the rumor level we were told that the UFC seemed to be interested in him too. I wrote a letter and they answered me quite quickly. A discussion of the terms began: we bargained about money and initially asked for a little more than what we were ultimately offered. The promotion was not satisfied with these conditions, we were asked to move a little, we made some concessions and eventually came to an agreement. The most interesting thing is that we practically only corresponded by mail and in the end they simply sent us a contract, we signed it and sent it.
Good day, dear editors of BroDude magazine! I’ve been reading you regularly throughout the year and sincerely admire your advice and articles: everything is clear, to the point and for men. Thank you, I wish you further prosperity and development.
I'll tell you a little about myself. I am 21 years old, I completed my 3rd year at university, and now I work as an electrical mechanic at a factory as part of my industrial practice in a village that is far from the city where I live.
And although I have a girlfriend, I feel that I am terribly complex and insecure. Sometimes even local teenagers here don’t have the courage to put them in their place in the event of a verbal altercation. That is, I decided first of all to overcome the fear of getting hit in the face. After reading one of your articles on MMA, as well as on the advice of my grandfather (at 69 years old, he is a very trained and smart man), I decided to take up mixed martial arts in September. However, there are difficulties with this. My height is 198 centimeters and my weight is only 76 kilograms. I also have bronchial asthma, but since I used to do ballroom dancing, my lungs are more adapted to cardio training than those of an ordinary asthmatic. Accordingly, my weak points are my knees and spine. Since during MMA training there will be a lot of throws and all sorts of different loads on my joints, I would like to prepare my body for such loads as much as possible in a month and not literally “break” in the first classes. So that, if not trained, then at least in good shape by the beginning of September. I'm currently in my fifth week of training pull-ups and squats on one day and push-ups and sit-ups on another day. And so six days a week. Now, with fresh strength, I can do about 10-12 pull-ups, about 35-40 push-ups, and 12-14 times on the parallel bars. Also, after analyzing information on the Internet, I learned that training in the gym is similar to CrossFit.
In this connection, a reasonable question arises: what training program should I choose to prepare for MMA, taking into account my physical characteristics and taking into account that I train without gym?
Thank you for your attention, dear editors! Best regards, Dmitry.
Answer
Hello, Dmitry! Please accept our repeated “Thank you!” for positive words addressed to the magazine. Continue reading us, and we, in turn, will try to keep up the brand and will continue to supply you and our other readers with interesting materials. And it’s especially nice that one of our articles, along with your grandfather, inspired you to take up martial arts. It’s not in vain that we write them. And by the way, hello to grandpa!
The pleasantries are over, so let's move on to answering your question. Let’s make a reservation right away that, no matter what advice we give you here, before you start training, it’s better to consult your doctor. We are not competent to give advice in the field of medicine, and since you have certain health problems, you need to know how certain types of stress correspond to your capabilities. Moreover, our advice is general in nature and is aimed at those who are able to withstand basic loads.
Fighters do have a specific training program, which is designed to develop those physical indicators, which are applicable in martial arts. In principle, you are already doing some of them. Pull-ups and push-ups are universal exercises and are suitable for people with different sporting purposes, including for fighters. By the way, you wrote that you work out 6 days a week, that is, almost every day. We believe that you remember that you need to alternate the muscle groups that you apply the load to, especially if this load increases.
In general, you are right: strength training fighters are reminiscent of CrossFit classes. They are distinguished by high intensity and versatility. For a fighter, both muscle strength and endurance are equally important, and therefore he strives for comprehensive development of the body, which will include both strength exercises, and cardio. But we remember your main condition: you want to train at home, not in the gym. This is possible, but for effective training You will still have to purchase some equipment.
You said you were doing push-ups and pull-ups. This is good. You can also add (if you haven’t done this before) dips. In general, for martial arts, especially those involving striking techniques, strength exercises on the arms, performed in a “jerk” manner, are very important. This creates a certain imitation of the blow and has a positive effect on both its strength and speed. That is why we recommend that you buy small dumbbells (1-2 kg) and practice “shadow boxing” with them. This way you will kill two birds with one stone, even three: firstly, you will hone the plasticity of fighting in a standing position; secondly, you will increase the power potential of your strike; and thirdly, it is good for your endurance. You can do rounds of 1 minute each, working at a high tempo with a 30 second break, or do 3 minutes per round in a fighting stance. The rhythm may be less, but then try to follow the technique of strikes, simulating a real fight. In this case, the rest should also be at least 1 minute. And we repeat that these tips apply to people without health restrictions.
You can also purchase a rubber shock absorber with a handle. With it you can perform hand exercises that can qualitatively improve your striking technique. This shock absorber is easy to use: just tie one end of it to a stable support and you are ready to work. The main thing is that when practicing strikes with him, you follow the technique and the required amplitude.
Another item that can greatly diversify your workouts is a barbell plate. Moreover, it is not necessary to buy the bar itself. Choose the size of the pancake based on your physical characteristics. Considering your weight, we recommend that you take a projectile weighing 10-15 kg. Here are some exercises you can do with a weight plate:
1) Hold the plate at arm's length directly in front of you at chest level. With sharp movements, press him towards you and push him forward again to the original position. Do this without stopping for 30-40 seconds. The main thing is to try to maintain maximum tempo and fully straighten your arms during the push. This exercise is very useful for developing punching power.
2) Take the plate with both hands and move it around your head 360 degrees so that the rotation occurs due to the movement of your shoulders. This will strengthen the muscles of the arms and shoulders and will be very useful for wrestling.
3) Press the pancake to your body, clasping it with both hands, and move around the room, all the time moving on your feet. The essence of this exercise is constant movement, as if during a fight. This way you will improve your footwork and endurance, which are very necessary when working in a stand-up position.
In general, a training program for fighters can include many more exercises. We only briefly talked about some of them, which can be performed outside the walls of the hall without large quantity inventory. This also includes abdominal exercises (again, with the use of a pancake, their effectiveness will only increase). Don't forget about cardio training. Good old running and jumping rope have not been canceled.
In fact, the money for the Russian (and global) world of mixed martial arts is colossal. For comparison, great fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who won 24 victories in 24 fights, received significantly less for his last fight - .
All professional fighters in Russia can be divided into three conditional categories, the president of Fight Nights Global told Life Kamil Gadzhiev. - It is clear that everyone’s earnings are irregular, so for the convenience of calculations we will take their total annual income and divide by 12.
There are about 5 thousand professional fighters in Russia. The elite includes about 30 people. We at Fight Nights have 10. Their average monthly income, which includes fees for fights, income from sponsors, and advertising on social networks, is about a million rubles. As I already said, there are very few such professionals - less than one percent.
Well, the rest are young guys who are just taking their first steps in professional sports. They often combine martial arts training with studying at universities or colleges. Fight clubs they are fully provided with training. Plus, sometimes they also receive scholarships worth thousands of 30–40 rubles - this is only enough for proper nutrition. The guys are working for the future.
- How much do fighters get for a specific fight?
Everything here is very individual. For beginner fighters, the average “bet” is about one hundred thousand. Well, superstar fees can amount to millions. Rubles, of course. Well, the same Diego Brandao received 70 thousand dollars for winning the main fight of Fight Nights 58 in Kaspiysk over Murad Machaev.
Some journalists consider Khabib Nurmagomedov the most popular Russian athlete. Well, what if we compare the level of popularity of mixed martial arts and other sports in general?
For the average person, it would be most appropriate to compare the MMA industry with the boxing industry. There really is a lot in common. The main difference is age. Mixed martial arts, as a sport with clear rules, originated in America just 20 years ago. And, of course, although the popularity of MMA has grown very much, it still remains a mystery to many. There are a lot of stupid stereotypes...
- Which is the most common?
The fact that MMA is fighting without rules. The world of mixed martial arts is actually very clearly regulated. The leader, of course, is the UFC company, which was originally created simply as a kind of league, the purpose of which was to find out which martial arts were the coolest. Well, remember the numerous Hollywood action films with a similar plot - when karatekas, sumo wrestlers and boxers in some monastery at a closed tournament reveal the strongest. So the idea of the UFC was something like this. But gradually all this developed into a very popular sports and social phenomenon, firmly established on American TV.
The last fight of Fedor Emelianenko - with Fabio Maldonado - simply broke the ratings. About 8 million Russians watched the fight live!
Plus we showed this fight in 26 more countries. Both our company and everyone who broadcasted made money from this project. Fight Nights ultimately received about 20 million rubles from the sale of these rights... And our partners from Match TV probably didn’t lose out - as did the UFC Fight Pass channel, which provided broadcasting on North America. In the USA, 3 million people watched the fight.
In general, I would like to note that the role of Fedor and the MMA Union he heads in the development of interest in martial arts in Russia is very great.
Well, the average Fight Nights event - usually the interest in it is 20 percent of the figures that I gave for the Emelianenko fight. We hold about 15 “events” a year.
- How many people in Russia are involved in martial arts?
A lot - 5.5 million people. That is, about 3% of the total population of the country. Moreover, not only men, but also women are actively involved in this industry. In general, we can safely say that now MMA in Russia is truly fashionable.
- How are these fashions and engagement monetized?
Earnings rest on three pillars. Sale of television rights, tickets and sponsorship packages. All three of these areas are actively developing.
You need to understand: in Russia, the activities of a promotion company are carried out in two global areas - sports itself and PR. We can say that now is a period of investment - we need martial arts to become truly recognizable in the country. Well, plus there are some specific regions in which, due to the general level of income of the population, it is very difficult to organize a fighting evening in plus. Take the Fight Nights 58 that recently took place in Kaspiysk - we had no goal at all to make money there.
- And how much did you spend?
20 million rubles. Of course, a significant part of this amount was recovered, but in fact the event still went into the red. Actually, this was known from the beginning.
The cost of standard tickets to the Aliyev Palace of Culture was 500 rubles. Well, there were, of course, VIP seats directly next to the cage for 3-5 thousand rubles - but still it was impossible to make much money from ticket sales. Nevertheless, Dagestan remains one of our priority areas of activity. Everyone recognizes that in terms of the number of talented fighters, this is a leader not only in Russia, but also in the world. Martial arts are madly loved here; the 8,000-seat hall is always packed. Finally, this is my Motherland... In general, not everything can and should be measured in money. We have a place to make money, and we ended 2016 with good profits.
- You said about three directions. If as a percentage, how much does each of them bring?
In Russia the situation is approximately this: 20% are TV rights, 20% are tickets and 60% are sponsorship packages. Over the years, this ratio will, of course, change towards an increase in the first two components. In America, for example, this distribution looks like this: 60% - television rights, 20% each - tickets and sponsors. That is, the whole concept is based primarily on TV. Plus, the pay-per-view system of paid broadcasts is successfully operating in the United States. For one single fight night, the cost of a show using this system alone can reach $50 million.
The topic of how is already stuck in the teeth. And in Russia, how quickly can a fighter who goes undefeated claim the championship title? How transparent and understandable is this system?
It is clear that the task of any promotion company is first and foremost to make money, and not to “fairly” identify the coolest champion. And it is not surprising that the UFC is trying to “protect” McGregor and other fighters who show good ratings.
In Russia, in fact, it’s the same story. Professional fighting is not Olympic Games, where in theory anyone can become a champion. At the same time, of course, any quality fighter will definitely be noticed and eventually brought to the title fight.
- Well, how many fights does a guy from the “third category” need to win in order to fight for the Fight Nights belt?
Usually in his early 20s there is a partial transition from amateurs to professionals, that is, for some time the guy continues to combine conditional combat sambo and mixed martial arts. Well, at the age of 25 he already makes his final choice - either to give up sports altogether, or to turn professional. By this time he usually has 3-4 professional fight. Then he fights about once every 3-4 months. And by the age of 30 - that is, the peak age for MMA training - he has accumulated a serious history of about 20 fights.
Then - with a certain amount of luck, of course - he has a chance to title fight. Another thing is that if a guy doesn’t lose at all, of course, he will get his chance much earlier.
- In Soviet times, in many sports, at 30 people were already sent to “retirement”. And you say - peak.
Because people in the USSR played football or hockey since childhood. And months of training took place from a young age. And in the standard story of an MMA fighter that I described, a person becomes a professional not at 17, not at 20, but at 25. And in general, at the legislative level, mixed martial arts in childhood prohibited. That is, the effect of “iron fatigue” does not affect a person for a long time.
Although, of course, there are nuggets like Nurmagomedov, who are revealed much earlier (he is now 28. - Note Life). Well, he started earlier than many. His dad is, so Khabib was “doomed” to a career as a martial artist from childhood.
What sport, according to statistics, do people most often come to MMA from? And which of them are usually the most successful - wrestlers, sambo wrestlers, boxers?
50% come from wrestling - in its various variations, including classical and Greco-Roman, combat sambo, pankration, judo and jiu-jitsu. 30% - from boxing. And 20% remains for all other sports, including, for example, football. Yes, yes, guys come from there too. There is an opinion that MMA coaches are more willing to take on fighters - but in fact, today all boundaries have been erased. And from good boxer It’s also quite possible to train a great mixed martial arts master. In many ways, by the way, the “drummers” get their chance due to the fact that the audience loves them much more.
In the 90s, almost all members of gangster groups practiced karate and other martial arts. How much does the MMA industry now contribute to the criminal environment?
This is still another stereotype that is gradually being eroded. Yes, 25 years ago in the country people survived as best they could. But now the situation in Russia has changed. As such, there are almost no gangs left - well, or, in any case, they have become ten times smaller. If in the 90s many people really dreamed of becoming racketeers as children, now the trends have changed, young people think first of all about a good education. And the guys who are now involved in martial arts - they, for the most part, also try to combine training with study. Now a martial artist is not a bandit in Chinese tracksuit and not the hero of the joke “I also eat there.” This is a modern, smart guy with the right life values, a role model for his peers. The same Nurmagomedov now speaks fluently in English...
- How traumatic are mixed martial arts? Compared to the same box?
Of course, the risk of injury is always present. But there are definitely no more of them than in boxing. And much less than in football! And the number of fatal tragedies can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And each of them becomes the subject of comprehensive study and analysis.
There are a huge number of preventive health measures being carried out in our industry today. And the athletes themselves are accustomed to constantly monitoring their own health.
How relevant is the topic of doping in Russian MMA? After all, many tournaments do not even have a doping control system.
Sample collection is now carried out by foreign laboratories, since RUSADA is not working at the moment. The procedure itself is standard. But you are right that its use is not yet properly regulated. Within a year, the system of sanctions and punishments will be clearly spelled out.
In fact, now, in the age of the Internet and instant dissemination of information, the problem of doping is no longer so acute. If earlier many were confident in its omnipotence, now, especially after learning about fatal cases in the past and the year before, athletes are thinking more about the dangers associated with its use. Everyone has already learned how to work with proper diets and proper supportive pharmacology.
MMA has a chance to be included in Olympic program? And in general, is such a turn of development of this sport interesting for promotion companies and the athletes themselves?
May the sports functionaries of Russia and the world forgive me, but I assess these prospects as miserable. Still, not too many countries are involved in this industry at the competitive level. Well, as I already said, there are still plenty of negative stereotypes. And very careful people work in the Olympic movement.
This fight will be very revealing in the sense that it will show whether Fedor is ready to fight again high level. Still, the fight with Maldonado did not answer many questions. And now there is a chance to remove these questions.
- Are there any options in which Fight Nights organizes the fight of Alexander Emelianenko, who recently came out of prison?
Sasha is a person with whom there are organizational problems! Nevertheless, nothing can be ruled out. He is, of course, a very talented athlete, but his prospects are constantly shattered by some social sharp corners. And now he is no longer 20 years old, to get together and spend thorough preparation much more difficult for battle.
I sincerely wish both Fedor and Alexander good luck. And, of course, I really hope that Nurmagomedov will win in the fight with Tony Ferguson. If he wins, his fight with McGregor this year will become inevitable.
Many people, especially guys under 25, very often ask the question of how to learn to fight from scratch and become a fighter. There are many articles on the Internet with titles like how to become a fighter in a week and so on...
But in fact, you can’t become a fighter in a week, but you have to work hard, in order to get something you need to invest in it and spend time and energy.
Usually a person goes to a sports section, be it judo, jiu jitsu, all this is good, but this sports sections and along with many useful skills and physical training, a person gains a bunch of sports skills that are not applicable to street fighting.
On the street they usually hit people in the head with their hands - this is the basis. First of all, for those who want to fight well, since the basis of everything is punches to the face. This is how they usually fight outside the gym.
Therefore, there is a need for protection first. Along with protection, it is necessary to provide quick and swipe. A man with a knockout punch is like a man with a gun.
You can look at the statistics - a boxer killed someone with a blow to the head... Conclusion - boxing technique is the basis of the entire fight and any effective martial art. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is go boxing for at least a year. At the same time, boxing is the first martial art when working with several opponents, because fast boxing movements and punches to the head are ideal for this.
Along with boxing techniques, knees and low kicks are quite applicable on the street - strikes to the thigh, knee and below, but swinging your legs above the waist on the street is dangerous, because you can fall and be beaten by your opponents.
Setting up low kicks and knees is just as simple and accessible - they are available everywhere. But in Muay Thai Hands and movements are much worse, therefore, as written above, you need to master punches while practicing boxing.
And as a special physical training Wrestling is quite suitable, and mainly in a standing position, because on the street you can’t fight on the ground with 2-3 opponents. Wrestling perfectly loads all the muscles of a person and prepares him well for physical confrontation. You can learn simple throws and practice 2-3 until they become automatic.
Basically, trainees consolidate the skills that they acquire in free combat, that is, in sparring and all sorts of “deadly schools” simply do not work because in a gym you won’t gouge out your eyes or hit you in the groin, therefore, sports schools much stronger than self-defense sections with their deadly techniques. Conclusion: 1-2 years of boxing + six months of Muay Thai and at the same time fighting at least once a week, such classes will make you a trained fighter who will be much more prepared than representatives of schools street fight and just street fighters.
But we are sure that in the process of studying at our martial arts school you will comprehend the philosophy of martial arts and pass psychological preparation such a level that you can resolve all conflicts before the start of a fight with massacres.
