Idman.biz
Azerbaijani mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes have stopped participating in tournaments held in Russia.
This was reported to Idman.Biz by the famous Azerbaijani MMA coach Shahriyar Abbasov.
According to him, recently five Azerbaijani fighters were detained at the Moscow airport while trying to go to the tournament of the "Absolute Championship Akhmat" (ACA) organization held in one of the southern regions of Russia.
"They even had to stay at the airport for several days, but they were not allowed to leave and the athletes had to return home. Therefore, now most of our children prefer to travel to other countries rather than go to Russia," said Shahriyar Abbasov.
He emphasized that it was easier for Azerbaijani fighters to perform in Russia before.
"Russia is a big country and there are many freestyle fighting organizations operating there. For example, "AMC Fight Nights" will soon hold a Grand Prix with a prize fund of $1 million in each weight category. But for now, there is a war going on there and there are difficulties with flights, so we are not participating there," said Shahriyar Abbasov.
It should be reminded that his former student Nariman Abbasov previously owned the "AMC Fight Nights" championship belt and successfully defended it several times.
According to the expert, Azerbaijani fighters are currently forced to look for other directions.
"For example, a small fighter organization was recently created in Georgia, where our athletes will perform. We will already be there tomorrow. This is a great opportunity for beginners to show themselves. Also, the children are trying to participate in tournaments held in Kazakhstan, the UAE and other countries," said the coach.
At the same time, he emphasized that foreign countries are mainly interested in promoting their own fighters, so it is more difficult for foreign athletes to perform there.
"Taking all this into account, the time has long come to create our own fighter organization in Azerbaijan. Athletes starting here will be able to have regular fights and earn ratings. This will not require large funds, and cash prizes for beginners can be set in the range of 300-500 manats. The main thing for them is to earn a rating, which will facilitate the participation of children in serious foreign organizations," Abbasov concluded.
Teymur Tushiyev
