© Gaël Arellano/ RTL Luxembourg
It’s not every day that Luxembourg hosts a reigning world champion, but Saturday was no ordinary day as UFC titleholder Khamzat Chimaev made an appearance at Soko Training Center in Strassen.
Fans from across Europe, including Italy, Belgium, France, Serbia, Portugal, and even Ireland, travelled to Strassen on Saturday to meet UFC star Khamzat Chimaev. For those less familiar with the world of mixed martial arts, the Chechen-born fighter recently claimed the UFC middleweight title, making him the world champion in the under-84kg category.
The training course took place at the karate club facilities in the municipality of Strassen. It is one of the only venues in the country capable of accommodating hundreds of fighters. The tension in the room was palpable as fans eagerly awaited Chimaev’s arrival, but the nervousness quickly dissipated as soon as the group exercises began.
Chimaev started the training session with a quick warm-up and actively engaged with participants during the group exercises. On the agenda: combinations, take-downs, and submission techniques. The champion also took part in a Q&A session before posing for photos with his fans.
MMA enthusiasts felt starstruck seeing their hero: "I still can't believe it, I got to meet Khamzat", one of the participants expressed. Khamzat Chimaev played his part with patience and professionalism, even as fans jostled for a chance to speak with him.
Miomir Vujovic, head of the non-profit organisation Inter-Actions, took the opportunity to highlight the unifying power of sport: "Today we brought together people of different nationalities and different faiths, and everything went very well. This proves that sport has the power to unite and bring people together."
