The Polish MMA promotion Royal Division sure does have a sense of humor. News surfaced that a fight between two well-known world leaders is moving to the octagon. The only catch with that statement is the fact that the two of them happen to be lookalikes of both leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
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The two of the supposed fighters share an uncanny resemblance to their real-life political counterparts. As we know, these two individuals portrayed the political leaders of countries who are currently amidst a conflict.
The Putin lookalike is styled in the signature formal attire, a striking resemblance to the Russian president. Meanwhile, the Zelensky lookalike also bears a striking resemblance from his attire to his mannerisms.
The promotion might be using this as a booster for greater exposure and whatnot, but the fight between the two seems to be real.
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HFC and Royal Division: European promotions and their willingness to do the unexpected
Unlike promotions such as the UFC and Bellator MMA, which have certain stringent guidelines for breaking the rules, Russian promotions such as the Hardcore Fighting Championship have problems with their fighters going at it during face-offs.
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These are problems because unsanctioned fights paint the sport in a bad light. Moreover, HFC does not take the right actions to penalize the fighters despite multiple unsanctioned fights. MMA fighting promotions largely try to stay out of political themes and gimmick fights, but promotions such as the HFC and Royal division are clearly taking it up a notch when it comes to the gimmick.
UFC: Dealing with unsanctioned fights outside the ring
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The UFC has strict guidelines when it comes to breaking policies. The promotion largely penalizes fighters for stepping bounds physically during weigh-ins. This is because any harm done to any fighter before a fight can be debilitating to several parties.
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The fights can get canceled, leading to massive losses in ticket refunds and other additional costs for the company. For example, the infamous UFC 229 brawl between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, which was taken outside the octagon, led to strict repercussions.
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The UFC took strict action against both fighters. Despite being the biggest names in the promotions, both fighters were fined heavily. Moreover, the Dagestani was suspended for a year from the octagon.
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