Amidst the large-scale anti-corruption protests in Russia this weekend, former UFC heavyweight Jeff Monson indirectly played a part.
Clashes between protesters and anti-riot police allegedly resulted in hundreds of demonstrators being arrested across numerous locations of the federation. Amidst the chaos, Russian state television broadcast former UFC fighter discussing the political state of Eastern Ukraine.
The protests against current prime minister Dmitry Medvedev drew widespread attention across the globe, due to allegations that Russia’s former president had engaged in numerous corrupt practices while in office.
So, where does Jeff Monson fit into this? Well, the demonstrations this weekend were among the largest anti-government protests in recent Russian history. State television was accused of distracting their audience from the knowledge of, and potential participation in, the dissent by discussing corruption in neighbouring Ukraine. Featured in a broadcast pertaining to Ukranian corruption was a segment where Jeff Monson hosted an MMA class, and furthermore, discussed the West’s view of the political unrest in Eastern Ukraine, in addition to their collective opinion of the hostilities in the area.
Monson is known for being outspoken on his political views, but will never have enjoyed exposure to such a wide audience before…
Check out a previous video of Monson discussing his “Russian Soul” on Russian broadcaster RT, above.
