Jash Kuch - MMA in Kyrgyzstan

I normally do not enjoy mixed martial arts (MMA), but when I was offered the chance to see live MMA in Kyrgyzstan, I could not pass up the opportunity. The event was, frankly, much larger than I had anticipated. Male and female fighters from Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Brazil, and, of course, Kyrgyzstan, participated, and the event lasted almost five hours. Also, the “octagon” and audio/visual equipment were quite professional, and the event included an emcee who resembled a Kyrgyz Michael Buffer. The promotion company, Jash Kuch (meaning “young power”), even had its own anthem performed by a Kyrgyz rapper who performed the song just before the main event. It’s a lot catchier than you would think.

For a fighting event, the crowd was quite calm with only one man seeming to be drunk, and another being thrown out of the venue, the Palace of Sport. In general, the security was quite high. The entire first row was uniformed police and on the outside of the arena, police officers and barricades effectively controlled the crowd. Overall, it was an enjoyable event but I have seen enough MMA to last me a while.

The Octogon

Jash Kuch Card

Jash Kuch Ticket