A touchy topic for both sides, sports and politics collide in the world of MMA.
Nine days before Islam Makhachev defeated Charles Oliveira for the lightweight title at UFC 280 in October, he conducted a series of interviews concerning the fight.
Makhachev answered questions about the upcoming fight with relative ease, including ones about his home in the Russian republic of Dagestan. During one particular media call, he was asked for his opinion on the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, a war where Ukrainian MMA fighter Yaroslav Amosov served. Instead of offering insight, he ended the call.