The Russian government recently invited Artem Lobov to the Kremlin.
SBG fighter Artem Lobov was brought over to Russia to do a training session with Federal Protective Service (FSO) agents, as RT.com reported on Thursday.
The report explained that FSO agents protect high ranking state officials, including president Vladimir Putin. The session took place in a secret base somewhere in the Kremlin.
Lobov, who was born in Russia, admitted that it was a dream come true to visit the Kremlin, never mind training special forces.
“I was absolutely honoured to be invited to the Kremlin. It has been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid. And of course I never even dreamt to be invited to train special forces. So I was very excited, and I enjoyed every second of it.”
Conor McGregor has since expressed his pride for his main sparring partner on Instagram. In the post, ‘the Notorious’ also vowed to compete in Russia one day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc-RrxXAgOV/?hl=en&taken-by=thenotoriousmma
The UFC are pushing hard to break into the Russian market, but have yet to strike a deal to secure their first show there. Lobov certainly helped the cause when he was asked who would win in a fight between Putin and McGregor.
“Conor versus Vladimir Putin? This is a tough one, you know. I’m not really sure how that one would play out. But obviously they are in different businesses. Conor is in the business of mixed martial arts, and Vladimir Putin is the number one politician in the world. And both of them are the best at what they do.”
McGregor also talked up Putin in a strange Russian news segment prior to suffering that submission loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196. During the interview, McGregor held up a phone to the camera showing a very obviously photoshopped picture of himself shaking hands with the Russian president.
“Me and Vlad. Looks good, right? Ah look.”
“Putin is a cool man, a martial artist also. Takes no shit. Russian people are strong people. They can spot a bullshitter from a mile away.”
Yes, all this actually happened!
