Oleg Taktarov spoke out after the fight involving an MMA fighter in Dzerzhinsk.

      Oleg Taktarov commented on the high-profile fight involving an MMA fighter in Dzerzhinsk. The editorial office of NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" reached out to the first Russian UFC champion for a comment. The well-known athlete was somewhat reticent but recalled the city's criminal past and the role of sports in the lives of young people.

      "The city of Dzerzhinsk has always been a center of mass banditry. The only sport that saved people from falling into these groups was sambo," Taktarov said.

      At the same time, he refrained from evaluating the actions of the conflict participants. When asked whether athletes involved in such incidents should be deprived of the opportunity to engage in professional sports, Taktarov declined to answer.

      "What you are asking me now is a leading question with an already expected answer," he stated.

      Let us remind you that the conflict occurred early in the morning on Tsiolkovsky Avenue in Dzerzhinsk. According to the relatives of the victims, the quarrel began in one of the cafes and then continued on the street. As a result, two men sustained serious injuries, and one of them required several surgeries. A criminal case has been initiated regarding the incident. The identity of one of the conflict participants has already been established. According to regional authorities, the young man was training at one of the Dzerzhinsk martial arts centers.

      The situation was also commented on by the Minister of Sports of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Dmitry Kabailo. He called the incident unacceptable and emphasized the importance of educational work in the sports environment.

      "The mental upbringing of athletes is no less important, and often more so, than the physical. Especially when it comes to martial arts," the minister noted.

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