Jeff Monson said he would prefer not to be deployed to the front lines after spending the previous several months working on a propaganda documentary praising Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
The former UFC title contender claimed that he does not want to be called up as part of latest conscription campaign in an interview with the news outlet Metaratings.
Monsoon said:
“I hope I don’t get drafted. I think everyone hopes that he will not be called up. I want Russia to win this confrontation as quickly as possible.”
Monson received Russian citizenship in 2018. He has long served as a valuable source of propaganda for Kremlin and its controlled territories in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian state television chose to focus on a combat sports gym in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. There Monson hosted an MMA masterclass for a group of young children while bemoaning how the people of Luhansk were the “victims of the government of Ukraine”.
Monson stated: “I love this country. It has done a lot for me. This is my home, the home of my children, my wife. If we all live here and say: “No”, then who will protect the country? But if they call me, I will go.”
Prior to becoming a Russian, Monson was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He was a D1 wrestler at Oregon State University and competed at USA wrestling for a number of years. Monson also has a bachelors degree in psychology. He actually worked as a child and family counselor prior to major success at ADCC which made him reconsider and focus on MMA.
Monson is 51 years old and has had 60 wins and 26 losses and 1 draw over the course of his MMA career.
He competed in UFC from 2000 until 2006 at which point he was released.
While it may seem counter intuitive someone of similar background was allegedly drafted – former boxing champion and certified giant Nikolai Valuev. Valuev is 49 years old and towers at impressive 2.13m (6 feet 9inches).
Valuev won the WBA heavyweight championship for the first time in 2005. He successfully defended it three times until Ruslan Chagaev stopped his 46 bouts long win streak. Valuev later became a two-time champion and successfully defended his title against the legendary boxer Evander Holyfield.
Valuev lost his championship title against David Haye in the so-called “David vs. Goliath” match. He afterwards announced his retirement from boxing due to bone and joint issues.