Aleksandr Karelin recently shared his thoughts on mixed martial arts. In an interview, he reiterated his long-held view that MMA is a system of competition rather than a standalone sport.
Asked about Petr Yan, Karelin offered straightforward praise.
“Well done. He proved that boxing can dominate. Even coming from Siberia, he is helping transform the sport,” he said.
The three-time Olympic champion acknowledged Yan’s success while stressing that it was built on a foundation of traditional martial arts rather than MMA alone. Karelin was similarly complimentary when discussing Islam Makhachev’s win over Jack Della Maddalena.
“Well done to both of them,” he said. “When athletes remember their fundamental discipline, the one that gave them their base skills, and then achieve success within the MMA competition format, that deserves respect.”
When pressed on whether he still viewed MMA as a competition system rather than an independent sport, Karelin did not waver.
“I am convinced this is a system of competition,” he stated.
He explained his reasoning by pointing to the terminology itself.
“Look at what’s in the English name, mixed martial arts,” he said. “In simple terms, what are you mixing if there is no basic martial art? What is being combined with what? How can this be taught as a sport on its own?”
Karelin acknowledged the physical demands placed on MMA stars competing under MMA rules.
“The conditions in this competition system are extre mely difficult, energy-intensive, and hard to sustain as a way of life,” he said. “But even so, it remains a system of competition.”
When the interviewer raised ancient Greek pankration as a counterexample, Karelin returned to his central argument, emphasizing that without foundational martial arts, there would be nothing to combine in a mixed format.
Editor’s note: Quotes have been edited for clarity and readability.
