Six-time world champion in jiu-jitsu and grappling Jeff Monson held master classes for young athletes from Nizhny Novgorod.

      Photo: press service of the government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

      MMA fighter, six-time world champion in jiu-jitsu and grappling, deputy of the State Assembly of the Republic of Bashkortostan Jeff Monson visited the Nizhny Novgorod Region at the invitation of the region’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Starostin. The guest was introduced to the key areas of the region’s sports, social and humanitarian development.

      “We invited to the Nizhny Novgorod Region an outstanding athlete, champion, friend and citizen of our country – Jeff Monson. It is important to us that a person who made a conscious choice in favor of Russia today actively participates in educating youth, develops sport and promotes the values of a healthy lifestyle. We showed Jeffrey how work with resettlers is organized in the region, since his own story is an example of successful integration. We showed the sports infrastructure, discussed opportunities for cooperation in creating new sports schools and sections, and also introduced him to the cultural heritage of Nizhny Novgorod. Thanks to our friendship with Jeffrey we are contributing to shaping a healthy generation, strong not only physically but also ideologically,” said Dmitry Starostin.

      The well-known athlete inspected a number of public and private sports facilities in the region and also held a series of master classes. Thus, in Dzerzhinsk he visited the Oka Sports and Recreation Center and the Regional Center for Adaptive Sports “Parus.” At the latter he held a sambo master class for local athletes. In Nizhny Novgorod Jeff Monson also demonstrated MMA techniques at a master class in the MMA Profi Martial Arts Center and grappling skills during a master class on the grounds of the Nizhny Novgorod stadium at Strelka. At the stadium the legendary athlete, together with the Minister of Sports of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Dmitry Kabailo, took part in a press conference of the Nizhny Novgorod Muay Thai Federation and also conducted the draw for one of the federation’s upcoming international tournaments. They then visited the Volgar Martial Arts Center, where they held a joint jiu-jitsu master class for the club’s pupils.

      Another master class — in grappling — the fighter gave at the Medved Martial Arts Center in the town of Bor. There, following the visit, an agreement on cooperation and interaction in the field of martial arts and on the creation of a sports section for grappling and jiu-jitsu under the patronage of the athlete was signed between the Nizhny Novgorod Federation of Sports Wrestling, the Consumer Cooperative “International Digital Platform” and Jeff Monson.

      “Nizhny Novgorod Region was once again visited by a true legend – Jeff Monson. His visit and the master classes held in the region’s sports clubs are an invaluable opportunity for our athletes to gain new knowledge and get a taste of championship training methods in combat sports. Great motivation for our kids to develop themselves in sport! The master classes were held both in public and private clubs, which is important for building a unified system of sports support in the region,” noted Dmitry Kabailo, Minister of Sports of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

      Jeff Monson, in turn, shared his impressions of sport development in the Nizhny Novgorod Region and spoke about his projects. “This is not my first time visiting the Nizhny Novgorod Region and I see how much attention is paid here to every sport, what work is being done so that more and more people want to go to gyms. As for combat sports, grappling and jiu-jitsu, I very much want these disciplines to develop in every Russian region. I am sure that cooperation on Nizhny Novgorod soil will also be fruitful. The region has a good practice of building a system of cooperation between public and private sports institutions. We understand that both state structures and private clubs are interested in the same thing – that as many people as possible take up an active lifestyle. This is our main task, and we will solve it together,” emphasized Jeff Monson.

      Background:

      Jeffrey William Monson is better known as Jeff “Snowman” Monson. Formerly an American, now a Russian athlete and public figure. He has competed in mixed martial arts and jiu-jitsu. Two-time winner of the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship and world champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He moved to Russia in 2013 and obtained Russian citizenship in 2018. Since 2023 he is not a citizen of the United States. Deputy of the Council of Deputies of the Krasnogorsk urban district for the United Russia party since 2018. In 2023 he was elected to the parliament of the Republic of Bashkortostan. In 2023 he joined Vladimir Putin’s campaign team.

      Jeff Monson is implementing a project under which he opens schools in Russian cities for free grappling and jiu-jitsu classes. To date, 27 Jeff Monson schools are successfully operating in Ufa, Astrakhan, Donetsk, Lugansk, Kazan and the Moscow Region. These educational institutions are centers for the development of martial arts, providing the opportunity for thousands of young people to practice sports under the guidance of qualified specialists.

      Photo: press service of the government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

      More news about the event:

      Jeff Monson conducted master classes for athletes of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

      Six-time world champion in jiu-jitsu and grappling, deputy of the State Assembly of the Republic of Bashkortostan Jeff Monson visited the Nizhny Novgorod Region at the invitation of the region’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Starostin. 16:43 13.11.2025 NTA-Privolzhye - Nizhny Novgorod

      Six-time world champion in jiu-jitsu and grappling Jeff Monson held master classes for young Nizhny Novgorod athletes

      Photo: press service of the government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

      MMA fighter, six-time world champion in jiu-jitsu and grappling, 16:34 13.11.2025 Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region - Nizhny Novgorod

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