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The UFC is a landscape populated by fighters from different nations and regions across the globe. However, at certain points in the promotion's history, specific countries and regions were more dominant than others. Several years ago, Brazil was the most dominant country in MMA.
The likes of Anderson Silva, José Aldo, Junior dos Santos, and others reigned over their respective divisions. In recent years, things have changed. Russia has emerged as the dominant force in the current era. Specifically, the Caucasus Mountains have produced some of today's greatest fighters.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as the greatest lightweight in UFC history. His heir apparent, Islam Makhachev, has achieved similar success by capturing championship gold at 155 lbs. Other fighters from the region, like Khamzat Chimaev and Magomed Ankalaev, are rising through the promotion.
Why that is, has remained a question in many people's minds. This list aims to answer that question by compiling five reasons why fighters from the Caucasus are dominating in the UFC.
#5. There is a culture of wrestling
Fighters who hail from Dagestan and Chechnya always seem to possess some level of wrestling knowledge. At times, they've trained extensively in the wrestling department, like Khabib Nurmagomedov. In other cases, they have a lesser but still serviceable background in wrestling, like Magomed Ankalaev.
Even fighters who were predominantly strikers [like Zabit Magomedsharipov] had enough wrestling skills in their back pocket that outwrestling him wasn't a viable game plan. Wrestling is the most important base in MMA due to its ability to dictate where the bout will take place.
#4. Combat Sambo prepares them for life in the UFC
Sambo isn't exclusive to the Caucasus region of the world. Instead, it is tremendously popular in Russia and other former Soviet nations. However, since Dagestan and Chechnya are currently republics in Russia, they have adopted Combat Sambo as a widespread martial art.
Why does it matter when most mixed martial artists have a background in other martial arts? Combat Sambo mimics MMA more closely than any other popular art. Like MMA, it consists of striking and grappling but bears some minor differences. Sambo's attire is made up of a jacket, occasional headgear, and shinguards.
Furthermore, the rule set is somewhat different as it permits headbutts, groin strikes, and soccer kicks: all three of which are banned in MMA. Regardless, fighters from a Combat Sambo background are better prepared for MMA than not. Grapplers transitioning into MMA must prepare for the presence of strikes.
Similarly, strikers transitioning into MMA must prepare for the presence of grappling. This is not the case for Combat Sambo practitioners who are already masters of both worlds.
#3. Religion
Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the most popular Muslim athletes in the world. The former UFC champion has credited Islam in the past for being a source of discipline, and it is easy to see why. 80% of the population in Dagestan follows Islam as their chosen faith. Similarly, 95% of Chechyna's population is Muslim.
Due to dietary restrictions inherent to the Islamic religion, it can be beneficial to athletes. Chiefly, Muslims are prohibited from consuming alcohol and psychoactive drugs. This likely impacts how well Muslim fighters in the UFC retain their fitness long after their fights are over.
Furthermore, the discipline required to abstain from these substances likely renders them better suited to following the dietary requirements for peak athletic performance.
#2. Culture
One of the first things that MMA coaches teach new students is how to react appropriately to getting hit in the face. Students are specifically taught to not only react without fear but to avoid turning away from punches. This prevents new mixed martial artists from exposing their backs and blinding themselves.
If a fighter turns away from a punch, they won't be able to see the second punch coming. Unfortunately, this is a habit that's difficult to condition out of people. Even former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar struggled to react appropriately to punches. This was highly apparent in the latter's bout against Cain Velasquez.
Students who have a history of being hit in the face typically outgrow this fear. In Dagestan and Chechyna, the culture contributes to this. Khabib Nurmagomedov once mentioned that his mother insisted that he could not lose any fights as a child. He wasn't punished for fighting like children in other countries were.
Instead, he was punished if he lost any fights. The Caucasus hosts a masculine culture that prioritizes manliness and knowing how to defend oneself. Thus, fighters from that region don't need much in terms of conditioning them to get hit. This culture of honor is also why 'The Eagle' cornered Artem Lobov years ago.
When one's manhood is insulted, it must be defended at all costs. This creates a natural fighter mentality in the people of the Caucasus mountains. The drawback is that sometimes it manifests itself in outrageous ways - 'The Eagle' took enough offense with Conor McGregor's corner that he sparked a brawl post-UFC 229.
#1. Cardio
Not having the necessary cardio to compete against another fighter can be a terrifying situation. Exhaustion makes cowards of the steeliest of men. Unfortunately, there is only so much a fighter can do to improve their cardio.
Some fighters have more fast-twitch muscle fibers, which render them faster, more explosive and powerful. Unfortunately, it comes at the cost of their cardio. Conversely, fighters with a greater abundance of slow-contracting muscle fibers have better cardio but less speed, power and explosiveness.
This is why even former UFC champion José Aldo was explosive and fast but lacked true five-round cardio, while Nate Diaz has impressive cardio but low speed and power. The Caucasus region sits at elevation. Thus, fighters from the region usually have greater cardio to cope with the demands of living at higher altitudes.
This renders them less likely to get tired. Not only is this useful in fights, it also means they're capable of training for longer to acquire skills faster. It's for this reason that many of these fighters either became champions or top contenders in the UFC.
