In Russia, bare-knuckle fighting is growing as a sport, drawing more fans and media attention. The discipline is reaching a peak, and on May 27 in Moscow, a venue capable of hosting over 4,000 spectators will stage the Top Dog tournament, a significant milestone in the world of punches. This tradition spans thousands of years, appeared at ancient Olympic Games, endured in Russia after the Christianization, and now returns with formal recognition.
“Iliad” and Olympic champion Pythagoras
From ancient times, fist fighting was elevated into a discipline that combined military and athletic elements. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of percussion-based martial arts in Mesopotamia and Egypt, later evolving into a refined art in ancient Greece. Physical culture mattered greatly in those eras, and many works describe this emphasis on the body. The Iliad even mentions fists in the context of prowess and combat, highlighting a long tradition of hand-to-hand skill.
Historical records indicate that boxing and related practices entered the Olympic program as early as 688 BCE. Myths recount Apollo and his patrons shaping ritual contests, suggesting that the Greeks viewed fighting as an art form as much as a sport.
In classical Greece, gyms trained various forms of wrestling, including striking. One of the earliest Olympic champions linked to these traditions was the scholar and thinker Pythagoras, who helped anchor the sport in both physical training and intellectual discipline.
Fist fun – a manifestation of courage
Pinpointing the exact start of fist traditions in Russia is difficult. The first written mention appears in 1048 in the chronicles of Nestor. The Tale of Bygone Years recounts a legend of a hero who slew a bull with bare hands before battle, illustrating a culture that celebrated boldness and martial skill.
Back then, the sport was as much about bravado as competition, with people testing their mettle in displays of courage, grounded in the belief that every man should possess martial capability.
Traditionally, punches in Russia appeared during festive periods and grew to a peak during Maslenitsa. Fights ranged from single combat to large-scale street clashes, often conducted across villages or settlements and joined by merchants and ordinary townsfolk. After these bouts, the participants would share a communal feast, underscoring the social and ceremonial dimensions of the practice.
Fist fight in Russia
Efforts to regulate the activity persisted after the Christianization, though some entertainments endured for a time because they were seen as remnants of pagan rites associated with Perun, the warrior and martial arts deity. In 1274, Metropolitan Kirill condemned such fights within church circles, while secular authorities sometimes overlooked them for a period.
Leadership changes shaped attitudes toward fists. Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich opposed them, whereas his grandson Peter I supported the idea that these bouts reflected the courage of the Russian people. Empress Elizabeth banned fistfights in major cities, yet Catherine the Great supported them, enjoying bouts with renowned fighters and promoting the sport. A special award, a single star, honored top fist fighters by the Orlov brothers as part of a broader push to unify the tradition. By the 19th century, under Nicholas I, the practice faced a ban.
Withering of the fists and new flowering
The 1917 revolution reshaped Russian life and also the fate of fistfighting, transforming it from a close-knit social pastime into a faded legacy. It did not survive as a formal sport for a time, though interest in folk physical culture saw bursts of revival during the Great Patriotic War. The modern art of punching was later codified by Konstantin Gradopolov, who documented how traditional wall-to-wall fights connected to early group boxing.
Renewed interest in Slavic martial arts during the 1990s brought punches back to life, with new schools forming across Russia and the CIS. For years, fistfights operated largely outside official sport, but the landscape shifted with the Top Dog league’s establishment in December 2019. By November 2021, after ten events and coordinated efforts with the national boxing federation, punching was recognized as an official sport in Russia.
Moscow will host the Top Dog FC 14 tournament on May 27, marking a milestone in Russia’s modern martial arts scene. The league’s founder and chairperson described the event as a showcase for the finest fighters, with a highly anticipated middleweight title fight on the night. The venue is the Dinamo Volleyball Arena, a space chosen to accommodate a large audience.
As one organizer noted, this is the first major Moscow tournament of this scale after a successful run in Kazan. The lineup includes a strong card with many fights deserving air time, and the outcome of each match remains uncertain until the bell rings. The event features star contenders like Sergey “Kratos” Kalinin, named fighter of the year in 2021, and Naim “Samurai” Davudov, noted as the organization’s youngest champion. The championship bout diverts attention but the whole card promises intensity.
Additional bouts fill the program, and organizers emphasize that every fight has earned its place on the event’s bill. The overall mood is one of excitement and high expectations for an unforgettable night of fists.
Ticketing details for the TDFC14 event were provided by the official ticketing partner. The Top Dog community communicates through social channels and internal groups for updates and announcements .