UFC eyes Russian market
Could the UFC strike it big in Russia?
LOS ANGELES – Oh, to be a fly on the wall if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ultimate Fighting Championship chief Dana White ever get in the same room and talk business.
A power chat between two heavyweights of the political and combat sports spheres is not as unlikely as it sounds, but making it a reality might hinge on the result of Saturday’s main undercard fight at UFC 219 in Las Vegas.
For the UFC to make a move into Russia, where mixed martial arts is hugely popular and growing fast, it probably needs to piggyback off the popularity of an established star.
Potentially fitting that bill is Khabib Nurmagomedov, from the formerly wartorn region of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea and perhaps the most feared man in the lightweight division. Victory for Nurmagomedov against Brazil’s Edson Barboza at T-Mobile Arena would put him in line for a championship shot at lightweight, where Tony Ferguson holds the interim belt and Conor McGregor the main title.
Nurmagomedov vs. Ferguson would be a big fight, and a showdown with McGregor would be a blockbuster.
So where does Putin figure into all this?
It should be remembered that Putin understands the power of popularity and grasped long ago that sports taps directly into that concept. Putin played host for the most expensive Winter Olympics in history in Sochi in 2014 and spearheaded his country’s successful bid to host next summer’s FIFA World Cup.
On a personal level, though, his own preference is for fighting sports. The 65- year-old is a judo black belt and a longtime supporter of combat tournaments, all of which plays into his carefully cultivated tough-guy image.
The UFC in Russia could be a perfect match.
“UFC has to come and make a deal,” Nurmagomedov told reporters last week. “They have to begin now, and after a couple years they can make a lot of money with this.”
The fighter correctly pointed out that the company’s ongoing commitments to Brazil, Canada and the United Kingdom have reaped rewards in establishing the product in those markets.
But not much gets done in Russia without the approval of Putin and his cronies.
“They have to come and work,” Nurmagomedov said. “Business in Russia is very hard. But the government always likes (martial arts). Putin comes to shows and watches fights. He loves MMA.”
Nurmagomedov said he believes that a forward-thinking business approach of offering major pay-per-view cards at reduced prices of about $10 would help further embed the UFC with the Russia audience.
White has previously said he would “definitely” seek expansion into Russia and identified it as a boom market. McGregor, never one to turn down a lucrative opportunity, has told White he would be prepared to face Nurmagomedov in Russia, provided, of course, that the price was right.
For now, the UFC is just just hoping that Nurmagomedov, at 24-0, makes it into the octagon. After dominating Michael Johnson at UFC 205 in November
2016 and then immediately calling out McGeegor, his momentum stalled when he fell ill because of weight-cut issues before his fight with Ferguson in March that was canceled. His battle with Barboza might be the most appealing fight on the card, which is headlined by Cris Cyborg vs. Holly Holm for the women’s featherweight title.
“My weight is perfect,” Nurmagomedov said, admitting that he will cut about 13 pounds during fight week in advance of Friday’s morning weigh-in. I have changed a lot of things.”
As for the possibility of a clash with McGregor, that all depends on the Irishman’s own plans after pocketing about
$100 million for his boxing defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr.