Patrick Wyman Joins Press Row

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Every Wednesday, Administrative Editor Jordan Breen welcomes a member of the mixed martial arts media into “Press Row” on the Sherdog.com blog. This week, Breen is joined by Sherdog.com contributor Patrick Wyman.

On the heels of Wyman's Deadspin.com essay, “Why Are UFC Champions Hanging Out With an Accused Russian War Criminal?”, he and Breen look at Chechnyan leader Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov's affinity for MMA and his promotion and training stable, Akhmat MMA. Breen and Wyman discuss not only Kadyrov and his bizarre and celebrity-laden Twitter, but more generally, why fighters out of the Caucauses Mountains, whether from Chechnya, Russia or Dagestan, are exploding into the MMA world in great numbers and with considerable success.

Breen and Wyman also discuss the intersection point between the politics and prizefighting, the dangers of fighters with extremist political views fighting in the international spotlight, whether or not beloved lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov could morph into a media liability as UFC champion and how all-time great heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko had his own controversial politics obscured throughout most of his celebrated career.

Grab your credential and get a seat in “Press Row.”

The above file can be saved in MP3 format here.

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