Coronavirus: bare-knuckle fight nights take off online in Russia during pandemic
- Millions are tuning into ‘Top Dog’ tournament bouts held in a Moscow sports arena
- Organisers say the fights are so popular because of pent-up aggression resulting from Covid-19 restrictions and frustrations over the economy
A brutal boxing tournament in Russia that pits bare-knuckle fighters against each other in short, bloody bouts has surged in popularity on social networks during the coronavirus pandemic.
The “Top Dog” tournament began broadcasting fights in car parks in early 2020, but now rents out a Moscow sports arena for bare-knuckle bouts that are viewed online by millions.
The most popular fight yet has been viewed over 13 million times on YouTube. The organisers attribute the sport’s popularity to pent-up aggression because of Covid-19 restrictions and frustrations over the economy.
“It’s tough for people, they’re angry,” said Danil Aleyev, an amateur fighter who founded the fight nights. “People are generally in a stressful environment with nowhere to let it out. When they see something like this, it eases the tension.”
Russia, which has reported the world’s sixth most Covid-19 cases, has not imposed a national lockdown since last summer to avoid damaging the economy, opting instead for smaller measures. Real incomes have been falling or stagnant for years.