What does it take to become a fighter? How to get into the UFC. Managers of fighters from Russia answer. Fighting styles

In fact, the money for the Russian (and global) world of mixed martial arts is colossal. For comparison, the great fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who won 24 victories in 24 fights, received significantly less for his last fight - .

All professional fighters in Russia can be divided into three conditional categories, the president of Fight Nights Global told Life Kamil Gadzhiev. - It is clear that everyone’s earnings are irregular, so for the convenience of calculations we will take their total annual income and divide by 12.

There are about 5 thousand professional fighters in Russia. The elite includes about 30 people. We at Fight Nights have 10. Their average monthly income, which includes fees for fights, income from sponsors, and advertising on social networks, is about a million rubles. As I already said, there are very few such professionals - less than one percent.

Well, the rest are young guys who are just taking their first steps in professional sports. They often combine martial arts training with studying at universities or colleges. Fight clubs fully provide them with training. Plus, sometimes they also receive scholarships worth thousands of 30–40 rubles - this is only enough for proper nutrition. The guys are working for the future.

- How much do fighters get for a specific fight?

Everything here is very individual. For beginner fighters, the average “bet” is about one hundred thousand. Well, superstar fees can amount to millions. Rubles, of course. Well, the same Diego Brandao received 70 thousand dollars for winning the main fight of Fight Nights 58 in Kaspiysk over Murad Machaev.

Some journalists consider Khabib Nurmagomedov the most popular Russian athlete. Well, what if we compare the level of popularity of mixed martial arts and other sports in general?

For the average person, it would be most appropriate to compare the MMA industry with the boxing industry. There really is a lot in common. The main difference is age. Mixed martial arts, as a sport with clear rules, originated in America just 20 years ago. And, of course, although the popularity of MMA has grown very much, it still remains a mystery to many. There are a lot of stupid stereotypes...

- Which is the most common?

The fact that MMA is fighting without rules. The world of mixed martial arts is actually very clearly regulated. The leader, of course, is the UFC company, which was originally created simply as a kind of league, the purpose of which was to find out which martial arts were the coolest. Well, remember the numerous Hollywood action films with a similar plot - when karatekas, sumo wrestlers and boxers in some monastery at a closed tournament reveal the strongest. So the idea of ​​the UFC was something like this. But gradually all this developed into a very popular sports and social phenomenon, firmly established on American TV.

The last fight of Fedor Emelianenko - with Fabio Maldonado - simply broke the ratings. About 8 million Russians watched the fight live!

Plus we showed this fight in 26 more countries. Both our company and everyone who broadcasted made money from this project. Fight Nights ultimately received about 20 million rubles from the sale of these rights... And our partners from Match TV probably didn’t lose out - as did the UFC Fight Pass channel, which provided broadcasting on North America. In the USA, 3 million people watched the fight.

In general, I would like to note that the role of Fedor and the MMA Union he heads in the development of interest in martial arts in Russia is very great.

Well, the average Fight Nights event - usually the interest in it is 20 percent of the figures that I gave for the Emelianenko fight. We hold about 15 “events” a year.

- How many people in Russia are involved in martial arts?

A lot - 5.5 million people. That is, about 3% of the total population of the country. Moreover, not only men, but also women are actively involved in this industry. In general, we can safely say that now MMA in Russia is truly fashionable.

- How are these fashions and engagement monetized?

Earnings rest on three pillars. Sale of television rights, tickets and sponsorship packages. All three of these areas are actively developing.

You need to understand: in Russia, the activities of a promotion company are carried out in two global areas - sports itself and PR. We can say that now is a period of investment - we need martial arts to become truly recognizable in the country. Well, plus there are some specific regions in which, due to the general level of income of the population, it is very difficult to organize a fighting evening in plus. Take the Fight Nights 58 that recently took place in Kaspiysk - we had no goal at all to make money there.

- And how much did you spend?

20 million rubles. Of course, a significant part of this amount was recovered, but in fact the event still went into the red. Actually, this was known from the beginning.

The cost of standard tickets to the Aliyev Palace of Culture was 500 rubles. Well, there were, of course, VIP seats directly next to the cage for 3-5 thousand rubles - but still it was impossible to make much money from ticket sales. Nevertheless, Dagestan remains one of our priority areas of activity. Everyone recognizes that in terms of the number of talented fighters, this is a leader not only in Russia, but also in the world. Martial arts are madly loved here; the 8,000-seat hall is always packed. Finally, this is my Motherland... In general, not everything can and should be measured in money. We have a place to make money, and we ended 2016 with good profits.

- You said about three directions. If as a percentage, how much does each of them bring?

In Russia the situation is approximately this: 20% are TV rights, 20% are tickets and 60% are sponsorship packages. Over the years, this ratio will, of course, change towards an increase in the first two components. In America, for example, this distribution looks like this: 60% - television rights, 20% each - tickets and sponsors. That is, the whole concept is based primarily on TV. Plus, the pay-per-view system of paid broadcasts is successfully operating in the United States. For one single fight night, the cost of a show using this system alone can reach $50 million.

The topic of how is already stuck in the teeth. And in Russia, how quickly can a fighter who goes undefeated qualify for championship title? How transparent and understandable is this system?

It is clear that the task of any promotion company is first and foremost to make money, and not to “fairly” identify the coolest champion. And it is not surprising that the UFC is trying to “protect” McGregor and other fighters who show good ratings.

In Russia, in fact, it’s the same story. Professional fighting is not Olympic Games, where in theory anyone can become a champion. At the same time, of course, any quality fighter will definitely be noticed and eventually brought to the title fight.

- Well, how many fights does a guy from the “third category” need to win in order to fight for the Fight Nights belt?

Usually in his early 20s there is a partial transition from amateurs to professionals, that is, for some time the guy continues to combine conditional Combat Sambo And mixed martial arts. Well, at the age of 25 he already makes his final choice - either to give up sports altogether, or to turn professional. By this point, he usually has 3-4 professional fights under his belt. Then he fights about once every 3-4 months. And by the age of 30 - that is, the peak age for MMA training - he has accumulated a serious history of about 20 fights.

Then - with some luck, of course - he has a chance for a title fight. Another thing is that if a guy doesn’t lose at all, of course, he will get his chance much earlier.

- In Soviet times, in many sports, at 30 people were already sent to “retirement”. And you say - peak.

Because people in the USSR played football or hockey since childhood. And months of training took place from a young age. And in the standard story of an MMA fighter that I described, a person becomes a professional not at 17, not at 20, but at 25. And in general, at the legislative level, mixed martial arts in childhood prohibited. That is, the effect of “iron fatigue” does not affect a person for a long time.

Although, of course, there are nuggets like Nurmagomedov, who are revealed much earlier (he is now 28. - Note Life). Well, he started earlier than many. His dad is, so Khabib was “doomed” to a career as a martial artist from childhood.

What sport, according to statistics, do people most often come to MMA from? And which of them are usually the most successful - wrestlers, sambo wrestlers, boxers?

50% come from wrestling - in its various variations, including classical and Greco-Roman, combat sambo, pankration, judo and jiu-jitsu. 30% - from boxing. And 20% remains for all other sports, including, for example, football. Yes, yes, guys come from there too. There is an opinion that MMA coaches are more willing to take on fighters - but in fact, today all boundaries have been erased. And from good boxer It’s also quite possible to train a great mixed martial arts master. In many ways, by the way, the “drummers” get their chance due to the fact that the audience loves them much more.

In the 90s, almost all members of gangster groups practiced karate and other martial arts. How much does the MMA industry now contribute to the criminal environment?

This is still another stereotype that is gradually being eroded. Yes, 25 years ago in the country people survived as best they could. But now the situation in Russia has changed. As such, there are almost no gangs left - well, or, in any case, they have become ten times smaller. If in the 90s many people really dreamed of becoming racketeers as children, now the trends have changed, young people think first of all about a good education. And the guys who are now involved in martial arts - they, for the most part, also try to combine training with study. Nowadays, a martial artist is not a bandit in a Chinese tracksuit or the hero of the joke “I also eat there.” This is a modern, smart guy with the right life values, a role model for his peers. The same Nurmagomedov now speaks fluently in English...

- How traumatic are mixed martial arts? Compared to the same box?

Of course, the risk of injury is always present. But there are definitely no more of them than in boxing. And much less than in football! And the number of fatal tragedies can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And each of them becomes the subject of comprehensive study and analysis.

There are a huge number of preventive health measures being carried out in our industry today. And the athletes themselves are accustomed to constantly monitoring their own health.

How relevant is the topic of doping in Russian MMA? After all, many tournaments do not even have a doping control system.

Sample collection is now carried out by foreign laboratories, since RUSADA is in this moment does not work. The procedure itself is standard. But you are right that its use is not yet properly regulated. Within a year, the system of sanctions and punishments will be clearly spelled out.

In fact, now, in the age of the Internet and instant dissemination of information, the problem of doping is no longer so acute. If earlier many were confident in its omnipotence, now, especially after learning about fatal cases in the past and the year before, athletes are thinking more about the dangers associated with its use. Everyone has already learned how to work with proper diets and proper supportive pharmacology.

MMA has a chance to be included in Olympic program? And in general, is such a turn of development of this sport interesting for promotion companies and the athletes themselves?

May the sports functionaries of Russia and the world forgive me, but I assess these prospects as miserable. Still, not too many countries are involved in this industry at the competitive level. Well, as I already said, there are still plenty of negative stereotypes. And in Olympic movement very careful people work.

This fight will be very revealing in the sense that it will show whether Fedor is ready to fight again high level. Still, the fight with Maldonado did not answer many questions. And now there is a chance to remove these questions.

- Are there any options in which Fight Nights organizes the fight of Alexander Emelianenko, who recently came out of prison?

Sasha is a person with whom there are organizational problems! Nevertheless, nothing can be ruled out. He is, of course, a very talented athlete, but his prospects are constantly shattered by some social sharp corners. And now he is no longer 20 years old, to get together and spend thorough preparation much more difficult for battle.

I sincerely wish both Fedor and Alexander good luck. And, of course, I really hope that Nurmagomedov will win in the fight with Tony Ferguson. If he wins, his fight with McGregor this year will become inevitable.

Often, jokingly or seriously, I am asked the question “how to become an MMA fighter?” But most of the time, people don't realize that this is a bit of a misleading question. There is no such thing as an MMA fighter. To understand this, you first need to understand the concept of a fighter in general.

Anyone and anything can be a fighter, just like being an athlete or just doing some kind of martial arts. But not everyone can do this. Not everyone will be able to enter the cage, the ring, the tatami. To be an athlete of a certain style and perform in certain leagues, first of all, you have to want it. Having a desire is the most important thing.

But if your desire is to go there to make money, then most likely you will hardly succeed. And you shouldn’t assume that you can earn a lot of money there; you’re more likely to leave your health there. Many professional athletes They will agree that we have a lot of fractures, sprains and other injuries. At the age of 40 you can already register for disability.

You need to understand what you want to achieve from your chosen sport, who you want to be in it. If you just want to wave your arms or be a punching bag, then you are welcome, such guys will be accepted in the sections. And if you want to be respected, then you need to work and respect your comrades and rivals.

You need to train and not just train, but master at least a third of 2-3 styles if you decide to compete in the MMA league. If you come across a wrestler in the ring, fighting him will not do you any good. There is even a saying “don’t fight a fighter, don’t fight a striker.” If I am not a wrestler, then I will not fight a wrestler, because he is a king in his element and will surely beat me.

You have to work, you have to train, you have to want through I don’t want and through I can’t. It won’t be like walking into the hall, sitting down twice and “I can’t.” This kind of behavior won't work. Hundreds, thousands of repetitions of strikes, throws and other techniques.

You must understand that one direct blow must be practiced for months in order for it to work. Not everyone is able to withstand this; many have mental breakdowns. Few people see prospects in this, so out of a thousand only one remains.

I believe that in order to achieve something, first of all you need to think carefully about what you want to get from it, who you see yourself in this or that sport or even in this life. It’s not just “I came to the gym, I want to become a fighter.” These come to me every other day. The warm-up has passed, the man has turned green and there is no fighter. There is no athlete, no fighter, no one. That's it, he left and never appeared again. I'm sure many coaches have had similar experiences.

In fact, anyone can be a fighter. A person may not know martial arts, but he is so strong in spirit that even fire will not be a hindrance to entering the house and saving another. He will never be able to go into the octagon because it’s not his thing, but he has a fighting spirit. Which makes him ready to go through all the difficulties. This is exactly how I understand the word “fighter”. And think about why you should become MMA fighter? Maybe there are ones that are more suitable for you?

You can't just kick and punch a heavy bag for a couple of weeks in the gym and think you'll have success in the fight. MMA fighters, by definition, as artists. MMA gyms usually teach all schools and techniques of martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, taekwondo, judo, karate, kickboxing, boxing. In this article you will not read any “super duper” advice on how to train as a fighter; I will present everything in simple language.

If there is no MMA gym near your home, but there are gyms at other martial arts schools, don’t despair. You can choose one of them to begin your ascent along the fighter's path. After all, 80% of famous MMA fighters started from some traditional school, for example Georges St. Pierre former dominant UFC champion welterweight and title holder best fighter of the year"(several times according to different versions of sports publications), began his journey as a fighter in Kyokushin karate. Or Ronda Rousey, a former dominant UFC champion, number 1 in the p4p rankings among women, comes from a judo school, she took part in the Olympics and became the first American woman to win a bronze medal. Thanks to her judo skills, Ronda won 12 fights, 11 of which ended for her opponents in the first round.

MMA for beginner

MMA fighters must be skilled in both defense and offense; when the fight goes to the ground, they use grappling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) skills, and if they need to take the opponent to the ground, they use judo or regular wrestling. Therefore, if you really want to become an MMA fighter, pay attention not only percussion technique, it often happens that a fighter who knows how to fight in a stand-up position does not know how to fight, but a fighter who fights well also fights well in a stand-up position. Nothing personal statistics. Therefore, train wrestling, grips, techniques, etc., etc.!

Not every boxer can wrestle, but every wrestler can fight.

I often see the question “Is it possible to practice MMA from scratch?” The question itself is slightly incorrect because MMA is mixed martial arts. It needs to be put like this: “Is it possible to start doing MMA without having any base (karate, boxing, kickboxing)?” - no, you will still learn everything from 0, but in fast mode, you will not perfect combinations AS A boxer DOES, or kicks like a karateka, throws like a wrestler. You will study it, but there will be no proper focus on anything. Over time, of course, you yourself will determine your style and decide what to pay more attention to, do you like to kick? Will you perfect your high kicks, do you like wrestling? You will develop in this direction. But why not decide earlier and explore more? It’s no secret that MMA fighters who have boxing experience behind them have a huge advantage over many, but why? Because their base is boxing, the same thing about wrestlers, they have an advantage over other MMA fighters who have not studied wrestling and have mediocre skills. There are, of course, nuggets such as Jon Jones, but this is rare! You are not Jon Jones, so calm down and go to training in karate, boxing, taekwondo at least a couple of times, this will be best, work out for half a year in the boxing section, half a year in the karate, wrestling, BJJ section, and go to the MMA gym and you will be happy!

Don't forget about strength training for a fighter MMA, but again, don't overdo it.

“NEED TO PUMP MORE CROSSFIT AND BITSUKH.”

As practice shows, sometimes guys “hammer” the bolt on practicing the technique of strikes, movements, work of the arms and body, and their entire program consists of over9999 strength exercises, swinging bitsuha, etc! It should not be!

Today I will talk about who the most dangerous fighters and opponents on the street are, I will explain how to become the best fighter and a nightmare for any hooligan, and even for clarity, I will draw up a table for the growth of a fighter’s professionalism in martial arts, naturally the way I see it, from which It will be clear at what level of physical and psychological preparation you are at the moment and what you need to pay attention to in order to become a real master and the most dangerous opponent in a fight without rules.

So, the most important thing that I tried to explain is that martial arts will not always teach you how to fight right away; moreover, usually in the first couple of years, on the contrary, your fighting qualities deteriorate, even compared to an untrained but self-confident person.

How to become a better fighter

And the real secret to becoming a better street fighter is to, first, know a minimum of techniques, but the minimum of blows and blocks that you know should be ideally trained. Each blow was strong, fast and at least relatively accurate. So that every blow you take is dangerous, it can stop and even injure the enemy.

And your second main task is how best fighter practice those blows and your psychological reaction to an attack during combat to such automaticity that your body itself carries out the techniques and strikes you need, and you will only have to observe the consequences of your training.

Fighter training levels

And so, having this information about the advantages that a person can acquire to win a fight, we can build a table of possible levels of training for an ideal fighter:

0) Complete beginner and a complete zero in the fight. The man, who completely squeezed by social stereotypes, became their slave and hides fear and weakness behind the mask of a good person. Due to his thinking, he is not ready to hit or defend against the attacks of other people.

Within the framework of martial arts and self-defense, this is a clinical case when reason and beliefs have completely overcome combat reflexes, and a person has suppressed the courage and desire to fight.

1) Martial Arts Novice, who, although he has been training for 1-2 years, but on the contrary, he began to fight even worse, since his trainer forbade him to fight with his old reflexes, but he just started learning new ones, so he no longer knows how or doesn’t want to use the first one, and he still can’t use the second one.

2) Experienced and even experienced athlete , has not “really” beaten people yet, but he has fought more than once in sparring and competitions, perhaps even has many medals, knows a lot of strikes and techniques, and even how to behave in extreme situations.

But at the same time when extreme situations occur in reality, he still falls into a stupor and begins to think how to act and what to do. What will prevent him from defeating a confident and really aggressive opponent in a real fight? Because the enemy hits without thinking, but he still thinks about what to do at this moment and how to do the right thing.

How to become a street fighter

3) A true street fighter or a conscious athlete with extensive experience. Even if such a person has never studied anywhere, he uses his animal reflexes to the fullest.. Often during a fight he doesn’t think because he simply has nothing, and sometimes there is no need, since he has nothing special to lose. This various street punks and people who often had to fight on the street, both to beat and to be beaten.

At the same time, this person had been practicing martial arts for long enough that his basic techniques were well developed, used with full automaticity and could be performed without thinking.

Both the first and second types of third-level fighters followed their own path of how to become a street fighter, but both of them are already sufficiently prepared for a real fight. It’s just that the first street people didn’t learn anything; they simply lived by the laws of the street and trained in practice, trying to survive, while the second ones trained much more in the gym.

On the streets, naturally, the former usually start a fight, since the latter are initially smarter and more “peaceful,” but at the expense of years sports training their chances have leveled out, and now everything depends on chance and the speed of reaction of both.

4) The most dangerous fighters- these are definitely those who is able and willing, or at least can cause injury and serious injury to another.

Here, fighters are also made from those who studied martial arts purposefully and those who simply lived or are living in conditions in which this is normal or necessary.

That is, this category includes very professional fighters who perfectly know physics, medicine, pain points, weak spots joints and so on, and at the same time are ready for a fight using reflexes in any conditions. And also simply people who, due to some life circumstances, find themselves in a situation where they have nothing more to lose, for example, they have already been in prison 3-4 times and no longer want to go back.

Moreover, at this level, just like at the third level, there are not only professional athletes and masters of hard martial arts styles, but also various moderately trained psychos and thugs.

Because lately With the increasing effectiveness and availability of weapons, anyone who takes out a weapon with the clear purpose of shooting or killing(if you just got a parrot it’s closer to category 1-2), already in advance the most dangerous for your health.

After all, human life is very fragile, and such things can destroy it in one moment, regardless of social status, wealth, training and the rest.

And of course, the indisputable fact is that you should be afraid of a machine gun burst or a knife in the back no less than a super experienced martial artist. And even many masters are not immune from this.

And what can I say, if special forces burst into a room on a combat mission with machine guns and a finger on a hook, then even the most experienced and most dangerous fighter is better off strategically hiding, lying on the floor with his hands behind his head.

Naturally, a real martial artist can kill a couple of people in such a situation, but this is still not justified from the standpoint of subsequent survival.

In fact, in practice, it doesn’t even make much difference to learn how to hit with a knife or also rip open the enemy’s belly, but with bare fingers. The only downside is that you can’t carry a knife everywhere, your knife may be knocked out, or even worse, this time you will forget it at home, which is why even today aggressive, tough and effective martial arts do not completely lose their relevance.

Wise fighters and great masters

5) The last category of development of fighting skills is not very relevant to the conversation now, and what should we mere mortals talk about it, since it includes really real wise martial arts masters . The best sages, psychologists, monks, enlightened people and similar people whom you will not meet by chance on the street, and even more so they will not attack you in the gateway.

These people have not fought with anyone for a long time, do not compete for medals, do not prove anything to anyone. Wise fighters work primarily to expand their consciousness, understanding and awareness, and not on improving fighting techniques, but at the same time, the likelihood that someone will decide to fight with them is reduced to almost absolute zero.

A chosen person is destined to become such a person, and the vast majority of martial arts, and even more so sports sections, do not teach people up to this level and generally do not know anything about such people, so we will talk about these people last.

These are, in fact, all the main options for people who can be met during a street fight without rules and in general in the world of martial arts.

I hope this list has raised your understanding of how and what kind of fighter you can or want to become in the future, and what kind of fighter you already are at the moment.

And the most interesting thing is that all types of modern and traditional martial arts strive to raise a fighter of exactly the category that they themselves consider ideal. Moreover, almost every martial art does not agree on what this mythical ideal fighter should be like and how exactly one can become one.

Many people, especially guys under 25, very often ask the question of how to learn to fight from scratch and become a fighter. There are many articles on the Internet with titles like how to become a fighter in a week and so on...

But in reality, you can’t become a fighter in a week, but you have to work hard, in order to get something you need to invest in it and spend time and energy.

Usually a person goes to a sports section, be it judo, jiu jitsu, all this is good, but this sport sections and along with many useful skills and physical training, a person gains a bunch of sports skills that are not applicable to street fighting.

On the street they usually hit people in the head with their hands - this is the basis. First of all, for those who want to fight well, since the basis of everything is punches to the face. This is how they usually fight outside the gym.

Therefore, there is a need for protection first. Along with protection, it is necessary to provide quick and swipe. A man with a knockout punch is like a man with a gun.

You can look at the statistics - a boxer killed someone with a blow to the head... Conclusion - boxing technique is the basis of the entire fight and any effective martial art. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is go boxing for at least a year. At the same time, boxing is the first martial art when working with several opponents, because fast boxing movements and punches to the head are ideal for this.

Along with boxing techniques, knees and low kicks are quite applicable on the street - strikes to the thigh, knee and below, but swinging your legs above the waist on the street is dangerous, because you can fall and be beaten by your opponents.

Setting up low kicks and knees is just as simple and accessible - they are available everywhere. But in Muay Thai Hands and movements are much worse, therefore, as written above, you need to master punches while practicing boxing.

And as a special physical training Wrestling is quite suitable, and mainly in a standing position, because on the street you can’t fight on the ground with 2-3 opponents. Wrestling perfectly loads all the muscles of a person and prepares him well for physical confrontation. You can learn simple throws and practice 2-3 until they become automatic.

Basically, trainees consolidate the skills that they acquire in free combat, that is, in sparring and all sorts of “deadly schools” simply do not work because in a gym you won’t gouge out your eyes or hit you in the groin, therefore, sports schools much stronger than self-defense sections with their deadly techniques. Conclusion: 1-2 years of boxing + six months of Muay Thai and at the same time fighting at least once a week, such classes will make you a trained fighter who will be much more prepared than representatives of schools street fight and just street fighters.

But we are sure that in the process of studying at our martial arts school you will comprehend the philosophy of martial arts and undergo psychological training of such a level that you will be able to resolve all conflicts before the start of a massacre.