The popular video game franchise EA SPORTS UFC has turned its attention to SAMBO in a new Instagram post. Under the headline “Step into the SAMBO Origins Era”, the post features four legendary fighters whose roots closely related to SAMBO: Fedor Emelianenko, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and Merab Dvalishvili.
The caption reads:
“Fedor, Khabib, Islam, Merab. Four fighters. Four timelines now available in #UFC5.”
With this post, EA SPORTS not only celebrates SAMBO’s influence on the evolution of mixed martial arts but also highlights how some of the greatest fighters in the world began their journey on the SAMBO mat.
Each of the four athletes is presented through a unique lens — from their early training days to global recognition. Together, they embody the essence of SAMBO: versatility, strength, respect, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
Below are the individual profiles shared by EA SPORTS UFC for each of these iconic representatives of SAMBO:
FEDOR “THE LAST EMPEROR” EMELIANENKO
It’s no coincidence that some of MMA’s best got their start in SAMBO. Heavyweight great Fedor Emelianenko claimed gold at the European Combat SAMBO Championships in 1999, later adding a total of seven national and four world titles to his mantle alongside his PRIDE FC belts.
KHABIB “THE EAGLE” NURMAGOMEDOV
A two-time World Combat SAMBO champion and four-time UFC title winner who compiled an MMA record of 29-0 before retiring from the sport — the numbers don’t lie when it comes to the great Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov.
ISLAM MAKHACHEV
There’s something in the water out there in Dagestan. Before he held the UFC lightweight title, Islam Makhachev was a World Combat SAMBO champion, much like his mentor, friend, and coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
MERAB “THE MACHINE” DVALISHVILI
Even as he was evolving into a dominant force in UFC, Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili was competing at the highest level in SAMBO, claiming silver at the 2019 World Combat SAMBO Championships. He’d also take gold at the U.S. National Combat SAMBO Tournament in June 2024, just months before his first title-clinching performance in the Octagon.