Iran has been eliminated from the World Cup , which must be disappointing for many Iranian patriots. However, Iran's strongest sports are not football and these are sports that the Pahlavi movement rarely discusses or challenges: "freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling."
UFC champions (especially American ones) typically remain silent about Iran's "state apparatus," but privately they deeply respect the raw power of Iranian athletes. For example:
Former UFC middleweight champion Adesanya "The Black Dragon" once publicly stated, "If Iranian wrestlers came to MMA, the heavyweight landscape would be completely reshaped."
However, the UFC officially avoids holding events in Iran and rarely signs Iranian fighters—for fear of infringing on US sanctions against Iran, which would prevent fighters from receiving dollar appearance fees or visas.
#June_2026
UFC champions (especially American ones) typically remain silent about Iran's "state apparatus," but privately they deeply respect the raw power of Iranian athletes. For example:
Former UFC middleweight champion Adesanya "The Black Dragon" once publicly stated, "If Iranian wrestlers came to MMA, the heavyweight landscape would be completely reshaped."
However, the UFC officially avoids holding events in Iran and rarely signs Iranian fighters—for fear of infringing on US sanctions against Iran, which would prevent fighters from receiving dollar appearance fees or visas.
#June_2026