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Fighters lives outside the cage, does it matter?

  • 06-05-2016 11:54pm
    #1
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Wasn't sure of a thread title but I follow Khabib on facebook and he just posted up a picture of himself with Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen dictator and badass, infamous for his connections to disappearances, tortures and murders. And tbh it's left me a bit annoyed because I'm a big fan of Khabib and Weidmann and Mir before him too, but here they are hanging around with a monster like that.

    Now I would guess a lot of people will say that they couldn't care less, all that matters is how the fighters do their job in the cage, which I can understand, but I wonder would people still be comfortable watching or cheering for a FOTN rapist or child molester? (to go to the extreme example)

    Thoughts?


«1

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 38,921 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    This kinda of stuff is pretty common in soviet countries. I don't think the normal rules of western society apply. It's easy to take a moral/political stance in the west. But if a Soviet Billionarie or politician (same person usually) decides he wants to give you a car, then today you'll be getting a new car. Ramzan is clearly a dictator, by any reasonable definition, and a bit of a rogue. But the official line is that he's in the United Russia party. Putin's party.

    Wrestlers, weightlifters, boxers are cultural heros in the east. It's very common for them to be "rewarded" for international success. Politicians like to make these rewards very public.

    Khabib got a car recently after his win.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BEbmuP5v92F/

    Taisumov got one also, from Razdam
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BEmNwG4CI1z/


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Mellor wrote: »
    This kinda of stuff is pretty common in soviet countries. I don't think the normal rules of western society apply. It's easy to take a moral/political stance in the west. But if a Soviet Billionarie or politician (same person usually) decides he wants to give you a car, then today you'll be getting a new car. Ramzan is clearly a dictator, by any reasonable definition, and a bit of a rogue. But the official line is that he's in the United Russia party. Putin's party.

    Wrestlers, weightlifters, boxers are cultural heros in the east. It's very common for them to be "rewarded" for international success. Politicians like to make these rewards very public.

    Khabib got a car recently after his win.
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BEbmuP5v92F/

    Taisumov got one also, from Razdam
    https://www.instagram.com/p/BEmNwG4CI1z/

    I forgot about Taisumov, but I also found strange considering his background and how Kadyrov was in the news here in Vienna at New Years for threatening the families of people who protested against him here.. but you could be right, the fighters might not have much choice in the matter, refusing a gift would be a big insult I guess.

    What about the likes of Weidmann, Werdum and Mir though? They don't have this excuse. Certainly money plays a part, but even the quickest of google searches will give you a good idea of where this money comes from and how much blood is on it

    1266783145068767665.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,921 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    The other two are inexcusable. They just seen $$$ and didn't bother to google, or didn't care.

    A similar situation exists with the Abu Dhabi and the ADCC/UAEJJF. They pump a ton on money into the BJJ, not a great human rights record. I give that one a pass tough as its genuinely helping the sport from blue belt to black. Putting on tournaments, not just throwing cars at pro fighters


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,405 ✭✭✭Lukker-


    Werdum claimed he didn't know Ramzan was 'the butcher of Chechyna'. Absolute BS, if someone is paying you 5 or 6 figures to come over and give a seminar and do some photoshoots you are going to google who they are.

    Money talks and it's a short career I guess but I find it amusing Werdum has called Conor a prostitute who is obsessed by money. Conor hasn't whored himself out to any dictators.....yet.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 470 ✭✭Joe Musashi


    I have no problem with it. Places like Chechnya would be far worse if it were not for brutal and oppressive dictators like Ramzan. Not every place can be governed like it is some benign Western European country.

    I also have no issue with the fighters benefitting. Frankly, it would not make one bit of difference if they went there or not.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Lukker- wrote: »
    Werdum claimed he didn't know Ramzan was 'the butcher of Chechyna'. Absolute BS, if someone is paying you 5 or 6 figures to come over and give a seminar and do some photoshoots you are going to google who they are.

    Money talks and it's a short career I guess but I find it amusing Werdum has called Conor a prostitute who is obsessed by money. Conor hasn't whored himself out to any dictators.....yet.

    Werdum even was talking about a UFC fight in Chechnya against Fedor last month link
    I have no problem with it. Places like Chechnya would be far worse if it were not for brutal and oppressive dictators like Ramzan. Not every place can be governed like it is some benign Western European country.

    I also have no issue with the fighters benefitting. Frankly, it would not make one bit of difference if they went there or not.

    Far worse? I doubt that, almost all the problems chechnya had in the pre-kadyrov times are still there; kidnappings, private armies and sharia, thousands emigrating

    It does make a bit of difference though, it helps legitimise Kadyrov's position at home, the MMA fighters are clearly just being used for propaganda by Kadyrov


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭bono_v


    The prince of Bahrain has a very, very questionable human rights history!
    I see some of our own Irish fighters associating with him.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭fitzparker


    Cody East has a very dark past with alot of accusations and convictions- rape charge, battery, child abuse.


  • Registered Users Posts: 892 ✭✭✭paulieeye


    looks like he's in with bigger mma players than mir and werdum....

    kadyrov_sigal__dix1mt6.jpg

    If you havent seen the AMA on reddit with sensai seagal, you should take a look, funny stuff...

    https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/4i0jso/i_am_actor_steven_seagal_live_from_thailand_ama


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    It's a real grey area, not just for fighters but people in general. Mir is a Libertarian so it shouldnt be surprising at all that he'll look out for number one.

    Example, I have a one or two of clients in the pharma industry who produce drugs I don't agree with their use. But they put food on my table.

    I've seen countless people talk about boycotting Israeli products but are perfectly willing to do this while typing on their Intel supported computers.

    The Irish government themselves shipped how much beef to Iraq under the regime of Hussein?

    When we start telling people who they can earn their bread with we walk a fine line of hypocricy.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 38,921 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    Example, I have a one or two of clients in the pharma industry who produce drugs I don't agree with their use.
    I'm really curious what drugs these could be.
    Maybe I'm a bit oblivious to the "bad drugs" in pharma industry.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭pablohoney87


    Mellor wrote: »
    I'm really curious what drugs these could be.
    Maybe I'm a bit oblivious to the "bad drugs" in pharma industry.

    Mainly drugs which would go under the descritpion of "lithium". I'm not a "Bad Pharma" conspiracy guy, but I do see the need for transparency of how certain drugs are perscribed. Luckily this isnt much of a problem in the EU, but we still export to a number of international countries where all purchasing power lies with the perscribing doctor.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭dashoonage


    Pablo...can you hook us up homie ?


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    It's a real grey area, not just for fighters but people in general. Mir is a Libertarian so it shouldnt be surprising at all that he'll look out for number one.

    Example, I have a one or two of clients in the pharma industry who produce drugs I don't agree with their use. But they put food on my table.

    I've seen countless people talk about boycotting Israeli products but are perfectly willing to do this while typing on their Intel supported computers.

    The Irish government themselves shipped how much beef to Iraq under the regime of Hussein?

    When we start telling people who they can earn their bread with we walk a fine line of hypocricy.
    Yeah it's an issue in all walks of life, but there definitely is a line there of what is acceptable or not I think, we just seem to apply it a bit arbitrarily at time. To go back to an mma example, Kadyrov has been responsible for many many deaths, but it's fairly easy to brush off his sponsorship of Werdum (it probably won't even get a mention in the run up to 198), yet how many people would be happy to support War Machine fighting, who while he has done some awful things is certainly a few levels below Kadyrov .


  • Registered Users Posts: 38,921 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    Yeah it's an issue in all walks of life, but there definitely is a line there of what is acceptable or not I think, we just seem to apply it a bit arbitrarily at time. To go back to an mma example, Kadyrov has been responsible for many many deaths, but it's fairly easy to brush off his sponsorship of Werdum (it probably won't even get a mention in the run up to 198), yet how many people would be happy to support War Machine fighting, who while he has done some awful things is certainly a few levels below Kadyrov .

    There's a world of difference (for me) between supporting a scumbag like War Machine, and supporting a fighter like Werdum who is also support by by a scumbag like Kadyrov.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,081 ✭✭✭Fromvert


    Lukker- wrote: »
    Werdum claimed he didn't know Ramzan was 'the butcher of Chechyna'. Absolute BS, if someone is paying you 5 or 6 figures to come over and give a seminar and do some photoshoots you are going to google who they are.

    Money talks and it's a short career I guess but I find it amusing Werdum has called Conor a prostitute who is obsessed by money. Conor hasn't whored himself out to any dictators.....yet.

    Werdum must still not know, looks like he's heading back.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BGFdKHkJJSy/


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Maybe he is just going to join the search parties for the missing cat?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 972 ✭✭✭WarZ


    What about John Kavanagh's association with the Bahraini royal family?


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,735 ✭✭✭Stuxnet


    When JK was over in Bahrain, he posted a pic poolside, & some comment living the life, surrounded by opulence, ...I responded, built by the bare hands of the severely impoverished locals no doubt.
    He blocked me


  • Registered Users Posts: 217 ✭✭bono_v


    Matthew macklin is best friends with daniel kinahan. Best friends!!!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,056 ✭✭✭darced


    This post has been deleted.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Saw this in a few places, even the BBC. I'm surprised Fedor spoke out as I thought he was fairly close to Putin. Hopefully nothing bad happens to him
    Chechnya’s strongman ruler Ramzan Kadyrov hosted the latest World Fight Championships of Akhmat (WFCA) event on October 4, a show that featured WSOF flyweight champion Magmoed Bibulatov, former Bellator fighter Magomedrasul ‘Frodo’ Khasbulaev and others. However, in a baffling decision, the unsavory ruler placed his own children in MMA fights on the professional show.

    The oldest of Kadyrov’s children, Akhmad, is 11 years old and weighs 30 kilograms. He eventually won his fight by KO. The other two sons, 10 and 9 years old, won unanimous decisions and were awarded miniaturized belts for their efforts while Kadyrov’s henchmen celebrated around them.

    The video of the fight is available here.

    The next day, the President of the Russian MMA Union, Fedor Emelianenko, criticized Kadyrov’s promotion for hosting child fights.

    “What happened at the tournament in Grozny is unacceptable and, moreover, cannot be justified,” he wrote on his social media account. “Needless to say that kids under age of 12 cannot even attend MMA fights (in Russia) as spectators, but here we had little ones as young as eight beating each other up in front of happy adults.

    “I am outraged by the fact that the head of Chechnya was watching over it. Didn’t [the Chechen] sports minister tell him about the fact that children under 12 cannot participate in MMA under any circumstances?”

    Fedor’s criticism was met with public humiliation and threats from the Chechen people, mainly Kadyrov’s fighters and cronies. UFC lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov, WSOF flyweight champion Magomed Bibulatov, Akhmat MMA president Abuzayed Vismuradov, and others all had choice words for Fedor for his decision to stand against them.

    One of Kadyrov’s closest allies, State Duma rep Adam Delimkhanov, even threatened that Fedor will be “held responsible for his words against Kadyrov’s children.”

    It was later reported that the Russian Sports Ministry will launch an investigation into the matter.

    link


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,924 ✭✭✭wonderfullife


    Saw this in a few places, even the BBC. I'm surprised Fedor spoke out as I thought he was fairly close to Putin. Hopefully nothing bad happens to him



    link

    What's worth pointing out here is Khabib issued a veiled threat this week on the Luke Thomas Podcast.

    He said "if i don't get a title shot next, i will ensure the UFC never enters Russia. Conor McGregor thinks he has power with Ireland behind him, i will show the UFC what power is".

    When he's backed so closely by a heinous dictator with close ties to Putin, you have to take that threat at face value.

    Kadyrov himself then went on a rant about McGregor getting the title shot and mocking him.

    It's important to note one thing. Children do martial arts and children do boxing. And there are boxing tournaments and fights at a young age in boxing.

    But the difference here is that these children didn't volunteer for these fights or want to fight or even train to fight. They were forced to fight. Hand-picked to fight.

    That's not MMA. It's not even fighting. It's cruelty to make kids bash the head off each other who don't want to fight.

    Karim Zidan does excellent work and journalism on this whole area, well worth looking him up.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous


    Yeah and doing it for the entertainment of a crowd of adults is sick. And jesus, imagine being the child picked to fight one of Kadyrov's kids, their family must have been ****ting it


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,924 ✭✭✭wonderfullife


    Yeah and doing it for the entertainment of a crowd of adults is sick. And jesus, imagine being the child picked to fight one of Kadyrov's kids, their family must have been ****ting it

    you'd surely have to tell them to fight hard but make sure the Kadyrov kid wins. The mental pressure on the parents must be something else. Knowing if their kid somehow wins they could all disappear in the morning.

    "the whim of a madman"


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,850 ✭✭✭Depp


    fair enough kids training in mma but putting them in a cage on a pro card is disgusting. also I know how deep in kadyrovs pockets khabib is but im very surprised to see him supporting this.

    re the whole russia thing, ufc are probably better off staying out at this stage, let them stick to kids matches and 5-on-5s.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,152 ✭✭✭✭DrPhilG


    I look forward to seeing how Dana deals with threats like that!


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,696 ✭✭✭✭Dtp1979


    Surprised at khabib. Didn't realise he was such a dirtbag


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,924 ✭✭✭wonderfullife


    Dtp1979 wrote: »
    Surprised at khabib. Didn't realise he was such a dirtbag

    The more you learn about Khabib's ties to Kadyrov and some of the horrific stuff he condones, the worse it gets.

    Personally, i hope Michael Johnson knocks him into next week at UFC 205.

    75,000 people signed a petition online for Vladimir Putin to protect Fedor! That just shows you the reputation of Kadyrov and his supporters that Russians felt they had to do something to try get their hero protected.

    Fedor is lucky that he's a close personal friend of Putin otherwise he'd be mince meat or disappeared. And Kadyrov is lucky that Putin doesn't fancy another war otherwise he'd be mince meat too.

    The whole thing is pretty sickening. Nikita Krylov who had a great win at UFC 201, came out and said he'd challenge any Russian to a fight to defend Fedors honour.

    To top it all off, Fabricio Werdum keeps sticking his beak in to defend Kadyrov at every opportunity.

    I'm just glad no Irish/UK based fighters have got messed up in this ....yet!!


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,592 Mod ✭✭✭✭riffmongous




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