Skip to main content
Fighting Matters

Martial Arts as Tools of Russian Propaganda

From Fighting Matters

July 31, 2025 · 1:01:36

The Fighting Matters crew gathers to discuss how Russian martial arts, such as Systema and Sambo, have been linked to far-right ideology and are being used by Russia as a tool for propaganda, recruitment, and spreading disinformation in foreign countries, including the US.

We also discuss the evolving Trump-Epstein situation, right-wing ideologies in Hollywood, and how to curate the culture of your club to avoid it becoming a fascist hotbed.

Thanks to Steve Koepfer from New York Combat Sambo (https://www.instagram.com/sambosteve/) for joining us today!

Published by

Fighting Matters

More from Fighting Matters

View all

Report an Issue

Found outdated information, a broken link, or incorrect data? Let us know and we'll fix it.

0 characters (minimum 10)

We'll use this to follow up if needed

It's a mess, I know.

My goal is to build the most comprehensive BJJ encyclopedia anywhere — but good, accurate data is genuinely hard to come by. Records, gyms, belts and nationalities are pieced together from public and community sources, so some of it is incomplete, outdated, or flat-out wrong.

That's where you come in. If you spot something off, tell me and I'll fix it — every correction makes this better for everyone. This website wouldn't be possible without the community.