Kabansk hosted the mixed martial arts tournament MMA “Defender”. This year more than 200 athletes took part in the competition.
Alexey Sokolnikov, head of the Kabansky district: Take care of yourself and follow the rules.
The MMA tournament “Defender” is only the second year held in the Kabansky district. But there are already regular participants. Guests from Transbaikalia, sports clubs from Ulan-Ude and the hosts of the competition arrived.
Vladimir Rusanov, vice-president of the MMA Federation of the Trans-Baikal Territory: The level of athletes is growing, the very presence of teams speaks to this. If last year there were 3-4 teams, then this year there are already 8. The best athletes always come from the outback.
Athletes of different ages are on the mats and in the octagon. There are also children from 8 to 11 years old. They fight according to grappling rules. That is, without using striking techniques, but with throws as in sambo, judo and freestyle wrestling.
Rustam Ibragimov, athlete, Selenginsk village, Kabansky district: I came to MMA because I wanted to win, fight and get medals.
Maxim Metelev, athlete of the Ulan-Ude sports club “Patriot”: At first I didn’t do anything, and then I was very active, and my mother brought me to training, I liked it there, and I started doing it.
Fighters over 12 years old compete with striking techniques, painful and choking techniques. All according to the real rules of mixed martial arts.
Amid Gyandzhiev, competition organizer, coach of the Olympic reserve sports school in the village of Selenginsk: There are more people willing to perform. From our Kabansky district alone, about 50 athletes today defend the honor of our district. The MMA school has just begun its journey. A very interesting, dynamic and spectacular type of martial arts.
The organization of competitions and mass participation allowed the regional sports competition to be included in the official calendar of the Ministry of Sports of Buryatia next year. If everything goes well, it will be possible to hold it in Ulan-Ude.
