There is a new MMA team making waves in the UFC called Akhmat Fight Club, based out of Chechnya. The team is state sponsored and their goal is to spread MMA throughout Chechnya. Fabricio Werdum is their marquee signing but other UFC fighters are likely to follow, including Abdul-Kerim Edilov. They are willing to put out big money to attract famous fighters. The team is closely linked to Ramzan Kadyrov, the 39-year old Head of State. Kadyrov's father was the President of Chechyna until 2004 when he was exploded while attending a football match. Ramzan took over in 2007 and maintained his leadership in an ensuing violent power struggle. Ramzan is a former militia leader who fought against the Russians and has survived his own assassination attempt in 2009. Despite past issues with Russia proper Ramzan is seen as the go-to man for state sponsored assassination of internal Russian opposition. Ramzan has repeatedly been accused of being a thug-in-chief who uses torture, rape, and murder to consolidate power and maintain his vision for a unified Chechyna. He has also supported the notion of honour killings with regards to wives being the property of their husbands. Ramzan has a lavish lifestyle and paid celebrities to attend his birthday party in 2011. The UFC can't control who their fighters associate with. However when they cut off revenue streams for the fighters like sponsorship deals they are in a way encouraging fighters to go get money some other way. I don't think this is a positive development.
