This moment has forever entered the history of Russian mixed martial arts. In June 2012, American athlete Jeff Monson was not yet a citizen of our country, nor a Russian politician, nor a public figure. He was known only as an experienced fighter with a long career and a scattering of high-profile titles, who six months before the designated events fought against Fedor Emelianenko at the grandiose M-1 Global tournament in Moscow.
After that defeat, having healed the injury, Jeff had three fights, in which he won two wins and one draw. Then he reappeared in Russia, returning to tournaments under the auspices of M-1 Global. This happened at a landmark tournament in the Northern Capital, in the main battle of the evening of which Fedor Emelianenko was supposed to have had the last fight of his career against the legendary Brazilian Pedro Hizzo. The most prominent politicians and sportsmen of our country came to the tournament as spectators.
And Monson then had a chance to measure his strength with the famous Russian fighter Denis Komkin, nicknamed the Siberian Bear. Almost no one then suspected what history the American was going to create with his entry into battle. But at the very first chords and words of the song, the entire audience, without exception, got to their feet, and the walls of the overcrowded Ice Palace literally trembled from applause and noise. Unfortunately, the video cannot convey everything that was happening in those minutes in the hall, but believe me, it was incredibly epic. And it was then that the American fighter Jeff Monson took the first step into his new life.