Dan Hardy Explains the Secret to Why Russian MMA Fighters are Dominating MMA Globally
At the PFL World Championships last November, six divisional titles were up for grabs. Of these titles, four Russian athletes claimed victory, each earning a $1 million prize.
It’s a striking shift from earlier days when American and Brazilian fighters largely ruled over MMA titles. Russian athletes are undeniably on top of the international MMA landscape, but why?
From the PFL to the UFC, Russian fighters are showcasing dominance across the modern MMA landscape. For UFC veteran Dan Hardy, their success is thanks to their “complete game” and “incredible versatility”.
In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow UFC veteran “The Outlaw” Dan Hardy, shared his thoughts on why Russians fighters seem to have taken over MMA.
“The Outlaw’s” Insight
Dan Hardy believes MMA is going through a stage of evolution, catalysed by Russian MMA fighters:
“MMA evolves in waves, and when you’ve followed it long enough, you start to recognize the cycles. Initially, Jiu-Jitsu players dominated because no one knew how to defend against it. Then wrestlers picked up submission defense, which allowed them to take opponents down and control the fight. After that, strikers with good takedown defense came into prominence. What’s happening now, and what Russian fighters have been great at demonstrating, is that most people don’t treat MMA as one integrated system.”
Hardy pointed to the recent crop of Russian champions in the PFL as an example, emphasizing their ability to blend martial arts disciplines seamlessly.
“You look at fighters like Gadzhi Rabadanov, Timur Khizriev, and Denis Goltsov — watching a heavyweight like Goltsov win by triangle choke off his back is almost unheard of since the days of Stefan Struve and Frank Mir. These fighters show incredible versatility. People often talk about Goltsov’s jab or Khizriev’s wrestling, but in their victories, it was the opposite skills that made the difference — Goltsov’s grappling and Khizriev’s striking.”
Interestingly, while Russian athletes are leading this MMA era, many of them train outside Russia. Hardy noted that their influence is spreading globally.
“They’re showcasing a complete game and raising the bar for MMA worldwide. Their seamless style is pushing other gyms to catch up. Many of these fighters are taking their techniques abroad. Brendan Loughnane has trained with Russian fighters in Thailand, and you see them at top gyms like AKA in the U.S. and American Top Team.”
With more fighters now training alongside Russian athletes rather than merely competing against them, Hardy believes this will spark another evolution in MMA.
“The style dominating MMA today is beginning to permeate other gyms. It’s going to make the next few years in the sport very exciting.”
Russian UFC Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev is set to kick off 2025, defending his title against Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311, but will the Russian takeover transcend into 2025?
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