Fifa World Cup: Russia football hooligans nowhere to be seen, but Strelka fight club builds respect on streets
Anyone can turn up and fight at Strelka’s events on the streets of Russia – from fat, out-of-shape lawyers to dwarves – with bouts promoting ‘mutual respect and kindness’
You may have been expecting to see television images of Russian football hooligans brawling outside stadiums at the World Cup – but the only fights on the streets of Russia right now are built on mutual respect.
A growing “fight club” named Strelka in Russia is pitting white collar workers and hard-nosed fighters against each other in mixed martial arts (MMA) bouts – but the organisation insists they operate on the spirit of sportsmanship and have nothing to do with the infamous Russian football thugs.
“What a myzhik!” the ring announcer roars approvingly, using a Russian phrase for “real man”, as a rotund lawyer gets battered by a boxer. “This is what I call fighting spirit.”
Watched by his wife and two children, the lawyer fights courageously against his muscular, shaven-headed opponent, but is ultimately battered.
Blood smeared, he kisses his young daughter tenderly on the cheek and the announcer booms: “Your daddy can do anything!”
This is a real-life Fight Club – Russian style. No less brutal than the film starring Brad Pitt, it is perfectly legal, and its makeshift rings have sprang up all over the world’s largest country. Strelka’s YouTube channel has over half a million subscribers and anyone can turn up and fight.