Dagestani fighters have been ruling the MMA realm lately. All eyes focused on the Russian lands when Khabib Nurmagomedov controlled the UFC lightweight division with an undefeated professional MMA record. Right after ‘The Eagle’ vacated his throne, Islam Makhachev restarted the Dagestani rule in the division. Even the bantamweight division has witnessed the rise of Umar Nurmagomedov. But it’s not just the UFC that has seen Dagestani dominance. Usman Nurmagomedov, another cousin in the Nurmagomedov family, sits atop the lightweight throne at Bellator FC. 

But why is it that the Dagestani fighters are so strong? This is a question that has boggled many minds. Today, let’s take an attempt at this question and find out why the fighters from Dagestan are the most dominant ones in the fighting realm. 

Training in the mountains has its advantages

The one thing that often comes to mind when we talk about the Dagestani fighters is their training. Situated in a mountainous region, these fighters train themselves in the mountains of Dagestan, Chechnya, Makhachkala, et cetera. At such high altitudes, the oxygen density in the air is pretty low. This forces the fighters’ body to evolve. 

Their body begins to produce more erythropoietin, a hormone that pushes the human body to produce more red blood cells. This means their body can now carry more oxygen to their muscles, thereby improving their cardiovascular strength. And when they compete at lower altitudes, they seldom get gassed out. 

Training in the mountains also ensures that the muscle fibers enhance their mitochondria density, which can now help the fighters use the surplus of oxygen in a better way. On top of that, the body gets better at lactate buffering. In other terms, the Dagestanis can train for a longer period without getting sore. 

The Dagestani team’s training often involves a run to the top of the mountains. And this is generally their warmup. On the mountaintop, they perform wrestling drills, and calisthenic movements, and improve their mobility and endurance in every possible way. Even rocks have been used by the fighters in their training. But have you heard about the Dagestani fighters grappling with bears? No wonder they’re so formidable in the MMA cage. But it’s not just their mountaintop training that makes them so dominant in the sport. 

The popularity of Sambo among the majority of the population

Dagestani fighters are born to grapple! Of course, with exceptions like Sharaputdin Magomedov, who is pretty prompt in striking. But the children in Dagestan ordinarily engage themselves in Sambo or Judo. We can certainly say that wrestling has now become an integral part of Dagestani culture. This instills an advantage of takedowns and transitions, building them so that they can control their opponents with ease. On top of that, Sambo trains the fighters in controlling the fight with top mount, which is indeed a more dominant position in grappling. 

Sambo was developed by the Soviet Red Army in the 1920s to enhance the soldiers’ hand-to-hand combat skills. Soon, it was recognized as a sport and became popular in Dagestan. Built with striking, submissions, throws, and pins, Sambo has developed into a sport that closely resembles MMA. 

On the other hand, freestyle wrestling often puts the one who makes the other fall on the winner’s pedestal. It usually focuses on upper body control. While Sambo involves sweeping and takedowns using the lower body, as well. This certainly puts the Dagestani fighters in a position that lets them dominate other wrestlers. But simply training and learning how to grapple doesn’t help the Dagestanis dominate the Octagon. The most important factor is their discipline.

It’s all about discipline!

Discipline is the key that helps the fighters unlock their true potential. While many fighters tend to dominate the Octagon during their fights, their life outside the cage is pretty chaotic. This is where the Dagestanis stand tall. During a conversation with Joe Rogan in episode #156 of the JRE MMA Show, Royce Gracie, one of the big guns in the grappling realm, expressed his awe for the Dagestani fighters. He said, “I don’t think just because of their wrestling. I think it’s because of their discipline. And I tell a lot of people that those guys don’t think about anything else. Just train. There’s no the girlfriend, or wife. They’re not thinking about any of that!” 

The Dagestani training camps push the fighters to cut their hair short, making it easier to maintain and fight. They stay away from alcohol, putting all of their focus on their art. Even the JRE host claimed that these fighters were more disciplined than the Western side of the world. And their lack of distractions is definitely a boon. Rogan previously commented, “Like the guys that are from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp are some of the most dominant fighters. They wear their hair all exactly the same way. They practice. All they care about is family, religion, training. They don’t chase girls, they don’t drink. They are just training constantly like insanely dedicated to their craft. And they are the most dominant.”

Needless to say, the entire fighting community has been in awe of the Dagestani team. But their biggest test is yet to come. UFC 311 will witness Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, backed by ‘The Eagle’ himself, fight for the championship title in their respective weight classes. Judging by how strong their previous performances were, we can actually predict the outcome. But let’s let time do its magic and watch the story unfold.