Posted on 07/15/2010 1:26:39 PM PDT by pissant
Moscow - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, never shy of a macho photo opportunity, has visited a championship match of Ultimate Fighting with Hollywood star Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Ultimate Fighting - helpfully known in Russian as "Fight Without Rules" - is a vicious combination of boxing and karate where virtually anything goes, save eye-gouging and biting. It is wildly popular in the south of Russia.
So it seemed a perfect night out for the man who has dominated Russia for the last decade and the film star known for a string of martial arts films.
Putin and Van Damme, who have known each other for years, sought to catch up on Wednesday evening at a restaurant in the Black Sea resort of Sochi known for its fish specialities and an Italian chef, Putin's spokesperson said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news24.com ...
“Ultimate Fighting - helpfully known in Russian as “Fight Without Rules” - is a vicious combination of boxing and karate where virtually anything goes, save eye-gouging and biting. It is wildly popular in the south of Russia.”
That’s also very popular in our schools. We call it “socialization.”
Is this the same Van Damme who got his butt kicked at a NYC strip bar?
I’ll be honest, I rather admire Putin. He’s probably the best leader, in the sense of putting the interests of his nation first, of any major nation currently (yes I know, he’s not *technically* president...). Regardless of his communist past, who isn’t admiring of the fact he had the vision and the will to introduce a 13% flat tax rate?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Russian_economy_since_fall_of_Soviet_Union.PNG
“One of Putin’s favorite sports is the martial art of judo. Putin began training in sambo (a martial art that originated in the Soviet Union) at the age of 14, before switching to judo, which he continues to practice today.[295] Putin won competitions in his hometown of Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), including the senior championship of Leningrad. He is the President of the Yawara Dojo, the same Saint Petersburg dojo he practiced at when young. Putin co-authored a book on his favorite sport, published in Russian as Judo with Vladimir Putin and in English under the title Judo: History, Theory, Practice.[296]
Though he is not the first world leader to practice judo, Putin is the first leader to move forward into the advanced levels. Currently, Putin holds a 6th dan (red/white belt) and is best known for his Harai Goshi (sweeping hip throw). Putin earned Master of Sports (Soviet and Russian sport title) in Judo in 1975 and in Sambo in 1973. At a state visit to Japan, Putin was invited to the Kodokan Institute where he showed the students and Japanese officials different judo techniques.”
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And we’ve got a guy who is making us nostalgic for Jimmy Carter :-(
“save eye-gouging and biting”
It seems that you missed that part ;)
Being a dictator is not “putting your nations interest first”.
One punch.
Chuck Zito will simply kick your ass if you disrespect him.
Putin likes martial arts, Van Damme was an international martial arts champion, perfect fit.
Putin is hardly a dictator unless you beleive Soros and the lib MSM.
Authoritarian - yes, but not a dictator by a long shot.
Right...
Look at the way obambi stands...like a little girl seeing a spider. Oh the Globe will be posting an article about Donald Youngs mother saying he might have been killed because of ......ohbambi.
I think she would be correct.
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