Several MMA fighters and coaches have been stuck in Russia amidst the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, including former Brave CF champion Luan Santiago. Santiago competed on an RCC card against Ilyas Khamzin in Yekaterinburg, which is the fourth most populated city in Russia. Santiago lost the fight via split decision, but that would […]
Several MMA fighters and coaches have been stuck in Russia amidst the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, including former Brave CF champion Luan Santiago.
Santiago competed on an RCC card against Ilyas Khamzin in Yekaterinburg, which is the fourth most populated city in Russia. Santiago lost the fight via split decision, but that would only be the beginning of his issues.
Santiago and his longtime coach, Cristiano Marcello are now stuck in Yekaterinburg amidst the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Sochi airport has been closed for several days, leading many such as Marcello and Santiago stuck in the city indefinitely.
Santiago and Marcello were supposed to depart for their native Brazil on Thursday evening local time in Yekaterinburg before local airports were closed.
“I asked [RCC] officials if the war was going to spread [into the country] and if we should be worried, and they said they live in war tension, that it’s normal for them,” Marcello said. “I asked the receptionist at the hotel if there was a risk of airports shutting down, and she said the Sochi airport was already closed.”
Santiago and Marcello aren’t the only ones who are grounded in Russia. Former The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil participants Jose Marcos and Marcio Santos are also stuck near the Russia-Ukraine border after fighting on separate cards.
Former UFC fighter Fabio Maldonado was competing on a bare-knuckle boxing card but was able to fly out of Moscow and fly back to Brazil just before the closure of airports.
We’ll bring you the latest right here at LowKickMMA as the situation in Ukraine develops, potentially stranding many MMA fighters overseas.
What are your thoughts on the Russia/Ukraine conflict?
Though Silva probably has little recollection of the last time he competed in Saitama, the Axe Murderer became an MMA superstar in Japan, where he went undefeated through his first 20 fights in PRIDE and held the middleweight title for over five years. But his current stint in the UFC — where he’s won just three of eight fights since 2007 — has suggested that Silva is nearing the end of the road, and his next bad loss could be his last. Can he come up with another heroic effort against the All American?
Speaking of PRIDE legends, longtime lightweight champ Takanori Gomi will be welcoming Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division at UFC on FUEL 8. Gomi has won his last two UFC fights against Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, while Sanchez is coming off a decision defeat against Jake Ellenberger in February. Sanchez hasn’t competed at 155 pounds since being utterly shredded by BJ Penn during their lightweight title fight three years ago.
Though Silva probably has little recollection of the last time he competed in Saitama, the Axe Murderer became an MMA superstar in Japan, where he went undefeated through his first 20 fights in PRIDE and held the middleweight title for over five years. But his current stint in the UFC — where he’s won just three of eight fights since 2007 — has suggested that Silva is nearing the end of the road, and his next bad loss could be his last. Can he come up with another heroic effort against the All American?
Speaking of PRIDE legends, longtime lightweight champ Takanori Gomi will be welcoming Diego Sanchez back to the lightweight division at UFC on FUEL 8. Gomi has won his last two UFC fights against Eiji Mitsuoka and Mac Danzig, while Sanchez is coming off a decision defeat against Jake Ellenberger in February. Sanchez hasn’t competed at 155 pounds since being utterly shredded by BJ Penn during their lightweight title fight three years ago.
Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (WW): Coincidentally, both of these guys are coming off wins against Paulo Thiago. However, Bahadurzada hasn’t competed since April due to a hand injury.
Riki Fukuda vs. Brad Tavares (MW): Tavares is on a two-fight win streak with decisions against Dongi Yang and Tom Watson, while Fukuda retired Tom DeBlass in his last appearance.
Cristiano Marcello vs. Kazuki Tokudome (LW): Though he entered the UFC through TUF: Live, Cristiano Marcello may be best known as the guy who choked out Krazy Horse Bennett backstage at a PRIDE event. (He also competed once in PRIDE, losing a decision to Mitsuhiro Ishida in 2006.) Fresh off a decision win against Reza Madadi, he’ll be facing Tokodune, an 11-3 Pancrase vet who will be making his UFC debut.
Alex Caceres vs. Kyung Ho Kang (BW): With back-to-back victories over Damacio Page and Motonobu Tezuka — and shout-outs from Ben Henderson himself — things have been looking up for the former yard-fighter known as “Bruce Leroy.” He’ll be welcoming Road FC champ Kyung Ho Kang into the Octagon.
(It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, with one lucky winner picking up a six-figure UFC contract and an immediate shot at Aaron Riley. / Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/TUF)
In case you weren’t able to watch Friday night’s marathon premiere of The Ultimate Fighter Live — or read our thoroughly detailed recap — here’s the short version: The porn-star will not be moving into the house, Jon Tuck nearly got his toe ripped off, and half of the 16 one-round fights ended via stoppage. Follow us after the jump, and we’ll show you every single one of those stoppages, in a series of GIFs courtesy of IronForgesIron. Enjoy, and let us know who you think will go all the way…
(It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, with one lucky winner picking up a six-figure UFC contract and an immediate shot at Aaron Riley. / Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/TUF)
In case you weren’t able to watch Friday night’s marathon premiere of The Ultimate Fighter Live — or read our thoroughly detailed recap — here’s the short version: The porn-star will not be moving into the house, Jon Tuck nearly got his toe ripped off, and half of the 16 one-round fights ended via stoppage. Follow us after the jump, and we’ll show you every single one of those stoppages, in a series of GIFs courtesy of IronForgesIron. Enjoy, and let us know who you think will go all the way…
(Joe Proctor def. Jordan Rinaldi via guillotine choke)
(Cristiano Marcello def. Jared Carlsten via rear-naked choke)
