MMA legend Oleg Taktarov spoke out about the fickleness of public opinion surrounding Petr Yan and revealed how the MMA star’s national identity was questioned during his struggles then celebrated after his recent championship win.
In an interview following Yan’s dominant performance against Merab Dvalishvili, Taktarov addressed the hypocrisy he witnessed in how Russian fans treated the MMA star.
“Peter calls me again there, you know, there it is Russia. That’s it. Listen, just recently they called him a Chinese.”
He highlighted how dramatically public perception shifted.
Khamzat Chimaev jokingly clapped back at Petr Yan several months ago:
“How can a Chinese guy say that a Chechen isn’t Russian?”
“I know Petr Yan. He knows me. I speak Russian, we trained at the same gym. And he says: ‘I don’t consider Khamzat [a Russian].’ How can you not consider me Russian if you’re speaking to me in Russian?
The veteran MMA star expressed frustration with supporters who only embrace athletes after victories.
“As soon as I do something good, he writes that he is a Tatar, he is a Mari, he, damn it, some other Udmurt, he doesn’t know, and attributes some nationality to me.”
He described how critics assign different ethnic labels to athletes based on how they perform.
Taktarov rejected this way of thinking and referenced religious teachings.
“I did study it, and at a very high level. It says there that you shouldn’t get stuck in your attention at all. Where are you from, what are you, what kind are you, what breed are you, all this is.”
He emphasized that such distinctions have no meaning.
Regarding Yan’s most recent win, Taktarov praised the MMA star’s tactical approach and patience. He noted that Yan has matured, and he credited the win to improved technical skills combined with mental growth at age 32.
“If it was his coaches who let him down like that, then honor and praise. If he himself felt this way in some way, then he certainly grew up.”
Taktarov admired how Yan steadily broke down Dvalishvili, who had competed too often and entered the bout mentally drained. He said gladiators historically competed once every six months. Modern MMA stars need similar recovery time for complete psychological restoration.
His sharpest criticism was directed at those who questioned Yan’s Russian identity during difficult moments.
“These are just trolls.”
He urged people to move past shallow judgments. His comments reflect a broader issue in combat sports where athletes’ national identities become talking points tied to performance rather than consistent facts.
