The head of a group in Russia representing small people condemned a prospective MMA fight being teased on social media between two internet celebrities as unethical and designed to encourage mockery.
In a video that has gone viral, Chechen blogger and MMA fighter Askhab Tamaev has been promoting a fight between Khasbulla "Khasbik" Magomedov and a renowned singer from Tajikistan who goes by the name Abdurozik.
Magomedov, said to be about 18, reportedly has a growth disorder and is from the Russian republic of Dagestan, where he is a local celebrity. He has more than 175,000 followers on Instagram
Abdurozik, reported to be around the same age, also has a huge social media presence, with more than 670,000 followers on Instagram and many fans on YouTube, where videos of his songs sung in Tajik can be seen.
Tamaev is promoting a fight between the pair on his YouTube channel in a clip titled "Khasbik vs. Abdurozik. Press conference before the fight."
The blurb under the video, which has been viewed more than 8 million times, says: "We will ask what (they) think about their conflict as well as tricky questions about making money."
The pair is seen facing off with Tamaev sitting in between them as he teases a fight for May 18.
Ulyana Podpalnaya, who heads the Sports Association of Little People of Russia, said the event's main aim is mockery, telling independent news outlet Gazeta.ru: "There is nothing serious about this, this is not a sport. This is unethical, wrong, from my point of view."
She said that the idea of martial arts, such as judo or karate for small people would be good at the Paralympics, if it could show the public it was a "serious sport" with "serious performances and not some kind of laughing show."
Tamaev is yet to share any footage with his 1.5 million YouTube subscribers or 4.3 million Instagram followers of an actual fight beyond some face-off scuffles. It has spawned memes on social media and even NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal has posted a mock-up of the clip on his Instagram account.
Artyom Bobtsov, a 4-foot-3 actor who has appeared in a number of television programs, said he isn't against the idea of people of his stature fighting, as long as it's taken seriously as a proper sport.
"We just want to be on an equal footing, so that there is an appropriate attitude towards us," he told Gazeta.ru.
Newsweek has contacted Tamaev for comment through his Instagram account.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London, UK. His focus is Russia and Ukraine, in particular ... Read more
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