FIAS is planning to seek compensation for sambists poached by professional mixed martial arts ©Getty Images

The International Sambo Federation (FIAS) are planning to seek compensation for athletes whom it loses to professional organisations such as Bellator and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

FIAS President Vasily Shestakov told Russia's official news agency TASS that there are plans to put such a system in place.

"There are such thoughts and ideas," he said.

"We have created the Combat Sambo League.

"But so far it has not gone beyond the idea.

"I have thoughts to talk with representatives of Bellator and the UFC.

"We train athletes, and they are already taking them from us."

Fedor Emelianenko was among the first leading Russians involved in sambo to make the cross-over to mixed martial arts ©Getty Images
Fedor Emelianenko was among the first leading Russians involved in sambo to make the cross-over to mixed martial arts ©Getty Images 

Many former sambo wrestlers have performed and are performing in professional mixed martial arts settings.

Four-times world combat sambo champion Fedor Emelianenko, now a Russian politician, is probably the highest profile example of what Shestakov is talking about.

Emelianenko, also a double Russian judo bronze medallist, competed in a series of professional mixed martial arts vehicles, including Bellator MMA.

He never appeared in UFC, although he defeated four previous UFC champions.

Another illustrious Russian fighter, Khabib Nurmagomedov, was brought up being trained in combat sambo by his father Abdulmanap, a senior coach for the national team in the Republic of Dagestan.

He won two combat sambo world titles before moving into professional MMA in his early 20s, becoming the longest reigning UFC lightweight champion ever.

Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov won two combat sambo world titles before going on to become the number one all-time UFC lightweight fighter ©Getty Images
Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov won two combat sambo world titles before going on to become the number one all-time UFC lightweight fighter ©Getty Images

Shestakov added that he intended to get to point where "at least there are some legal agreements between us that we transfer athletes to them.

"And so that there is some kind of compensation."

One potential idea is using the leverage of the Bellator and the UFC in the United States to help sambo's bid for inclusion on the Olympic programme.

"So that they act as sponsors or as lobbyists," Shestakov told TASS.

"At the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, representatives of such a large organisation as the UFC could lobby for any sport."