What is more likely? An African or Russian takeover of MMA?

[StayCranked]

With several fighters threatening to challenge the American dominance of MMA, which region is more likely to have success? Russia or Africa?

The Netherlands, the Dutch region

 

[Konster]

They aren’t Russian, they are from the Caucasus.

 

[milenss]

Marty from Nebraska.

 

[gevoudane]

Russia has always kind of been up there even in the very beginning. Its just with the UFC being a USA company, we just happen to see more Americans then Russians. But from day one it was kind of Brazil, USA and Russia.

 

[PastOfPrime]

or MAYBE Olympic sports have more international representation due to hundreds of years of history and training lmfao

and MAYBE... just MAYBE... a lot of those eastern European talents are stuck with jackass promotions like M1 which have been unreasonably demanding co promotion since Fedor returned to America

but NOOOO America's rampant GREED would never allow their WHITE cash cows to be exposed by unpopular foreign savages

LOL Khabib is as white as Conor and Conor is as much of a foreigner as is Khabib.

 

[tasticles]

Russia produces better steroids

Fixed

 

[Anomonis]

I'd say Russia is more likely. Russia has established sports systems and training and has for years. Most African countries don't really have much if any of that at this time AFAIK. And I'm not even sure how actual African athletes would get noticed or progress in MMA without those things and without some money to get them going.

 

[jeremyemilio]

Politics and marketing involved, a MMA Org. has a market to satisfy, and some marketable players to promote 1st.
Matter of perspective.

No, no. I don't disagree on any of that (or have an opinion at all, for that matter).

But the title of THIS THREAD is:

"What is more likely? An African or Russian takeover of MMA?"

And then in his OP, TS goes on to talk about how America is losing its dominance and how one of the possible regions to take its place is Africa... and I don't understand how Usman as champ possibly signals any of that.

Just because he was born in Nigeria and lived there until he was 8 and identifies as Nigerian I'm supposed to think that there are a whole bunch of African MMA fighters out there waiting to take over the sport? What? How in hell does that follow a logical train of thought?

 

[Cole train]

It's not necessarily race baiting.

Dana White actually said it pretty well -- areas with higher levels of poverty tend to produce some "tough" individuals, both in terms of being physically and mentally fit. Given that Africa does have large areas of poverty, and is a relatively untapped MMA market, it's entirely reasonable that some excellent MMA fighters could emerge from that region of the world in the next 5-10 years. This all depends on how much talent searching the UFC is doing.

Not really since people are so poor that they have better things to do than train mma

In africas case: surviving

Lack of food,lack of clean water,constant unrest

Mma is the last thing on africans youngsters mind

Best fighters come from big countries with established sports programs and experienced coaches(usa,russia etc)

It doesnt matter rich or poor, you put a kid into some sports program in previous mentioned countries at a young age he will become a good athlete at least

 

[Sinthesized]

Fixed

Have you seen Ngannou!?

 

[PlayTheGame]

They aren’t Russian, they are from the Caucasus.

Not all of them, Yan, Volkov, Kunchenko, Oleynik, Sosnovskiy are not from the Caucasus.

Takeover talks are bullshit though, Caucasus or not. Not enough top talent yet compared to Brazil or USA.

 

[opposity]

Russia (including the caucasus):
Look at them now:
Lightweight Champion: Khabib Nurmagomedov (arguably the best fighter of all times)
Women's Flyweight Champion: Valentina Shevchenko (Kyrgyz but basically Russian)
And Zabit has a few fights left until he will crowned as the featherweight champion.