WATCH: 8-Year-Old's Compete In Russian MMA Event

Russia is undoubtedly a hotbed for MMA talent with the UFC full of top Dagestan contenders including No.1 lightweight ranked fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov. And neighbouring state Chechnya are going to extreme lengths to unearth the next set of budding prospects.

An event called Grand Prix Akhmat 2016 was held in Chechnya last week which involved combatants barely 10-years-old. The children enter the cage just as how a professional fighter would. Accompanied with walk-out music and being introduced by a ring announcer before beating the shit out of each other.

But are children as young as 8-years old too early to start out in this sport?

Well, Russian MMA hero Fedor Emelianenko was particularly vocal about the event labeling it "unacceptable" and dangerous. "What happened at the tournament in Grozny is unacceptable and, moreover, cannot be justified."

Continuing to claim that the children are risking themselves for the satisfaction of adults. "Needless to say that kids under age of 12 cannot even attend MMA fights (in Russia) as spectators, but here we had little ones as young as eight beating each other up in front of happy adults."

You guys be the judge...

Topics: UFC, MMA, Russia

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar is a journalist at SPORTbible. He graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA in Media Communications. He's a combat sport aficionado, and has contributed to MMA websites AddictedMMA and CagePotato. Nasir has covered some of the biggest fights, while interviewing the likes of Conor McGregor, Darren Till, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He's also an avid Bristol City fan.

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