Issue 142

June 2016

Non-Japanese viewers may have been startled when their Fight Pass stream of Pancrase 276 was invaded by the golden knight hero of TV show Garo. But the Makai Knight warrior hadn’t come to fight, or protect humanity against dark demonic manifestations. He just came to peddle Pancrase’s official Garo Coffee energy drink to the masses. 

Thailand will be 10th country One Championship has visited in fewer than five years of business when it lands in Bangkok on May 27th. It took the UFC more than 16 years to achieve the same feat.

Moscow, Russia: Dancing with The Snowman

While Paige VanZant has been tearing up the ballroom on Dancing With the Stars in the US, a less obvious candidate impressed the judges on the Russian version of the show. Jeff Monson recently became a Russian citizen and won over his new nation with some top marks – despite not looking too light on his feet – as you might expect from a heavyweight.

Gdansk, Poland: Great debater

As a Muslim Chechen who fled his war-torn home for Poland as a teenager, KSW 185lb champ Mamed Khalidov empathizes with Syrian immigrants. He did his best to spread awareness of their plight at a conference in his adopted nation: “I really am experiencing a wave of hatred for the immigrants and Muslims. I fought to educate Polish fans many times. The media only spread hate all the time... People are dying! Where is our compassion for them?” 

Bangkok, Thailand: Bad influence 

One Championship is due to be the first major MMA promotion to have a show in the martial arts mecca of Thailand on May 27th, but despite the presence of Thai champion Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke on its Kingdom of Champions card, the governor of the country’s Sports Authority, Sakol Wannapong, says the sport is “cruel” and should be banned. That’s a little odd, because his national sport of Muay Thai is hardly a tickling contest.

Moscow, Russia: Comrade Conor

Back to the world’s largest nation and its legislative assembly, where State Duma member Dmitry Nosov has encouraged Conor McGregor to become a Russian citizen. He was impressed when ‘The Notorious’ hailed president and sambo master Vladimir Putin as a “cool man” who “takes no s**t” and suggested the Irishman could save millions thanks to the nation’s tax laws.