Russia Invades Ukraine, Brazilian MMA Fighters Are Caught In A Terrible Situation

Cristiano Marcello and Luan Santiago (Photo: MMAfighting.com)

JAKARTA – The Russian attack on Ukraine has had an unpleasant impact on some Brazilian mixed martial arts fighters. They find it difficult to return to their home country and are trapped there.

One of the fighters is former Brave FC champion Luan Santiago who takes on Ilyas Khamzin on Wednesday, February 23, in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth largest city. Now he and his coach Cristiano Marcello are worried about whether or not to return to Brazil after the defeat to Khamzin.

"I asked the officials if the war would spread and if we should be worried, and they said they are living in the tension of war, that's normal for them. I asked the receptionist at the hotel if there was a risk of the airport being closed, and she said Sochi airport is already closed." Marcello said, quoted by mmafighting.com.

Marcello said that Thursday's walk in Yekaterinburg felt like any other day. Until the situation turned dire, he said he did not feel that he was currently in a country that was involved in an international conflict.

"No one expects war," he said.

Marcello had a scheduled flight scheduled for Thursday at 23:50 local time to Moscow, but was notified upon arriving at the airport that his flight had been canceled. So he hopes to catch a flight the next day (Friday), or leave the country by train to Europe and then return to Brazil.

Meanwhile, the situation is a little more difficult for The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 2 alum Marcio Santos. He on Wednesday lost to Mikhail Allakhverdian in the main event of AMC Fight Nights 109 in Sochi. The city is located near the Russian-Ukrainian border so many flights have been canceled since the start of the conflict.

Santos spent months training in Dagestan in 2021 and plans to do the same in 2022 before the conflict begins. Having agreed to fight in Russia in May and June, he still hopes to return to Dagestan to continue his training. However, now he had no choice but to wait and see the latest situation.

Fellow MMA fighter Taigro Costa is currently at the hotel with Santos, also waiting and unsure how they will make it back to Dagestan.

"I was going to fly back to Dagestan but the airport is now closed until further notice. I don't know the map but my translator told me we are basically on the Ukrainian border. So now I'm tense now," he said.

Russia spent months moving troops near the Ukrainian border before launching its first offensive into the country on Thursday. The attacks have damaged facilities and forced many civilians to flee to neighboring countries.