In an interview, Russian MMA fighter Yana Kunitskaya shared her plans to apply for US citizenship and reflected on how Russian athletes are affected when they lose opportunities to compete on the world stage.
“This is an embarrassing situation. I don’t want to view it through a political lens, but athletes train their whole lives and then they can’t take part. I’m not sure what I would do in their position. Fortunately, this doesn’t hit the UFC directly, except for the challenge of securing a visa,” Kunitskaya noted.
She added, “I don’t condemn those who seek another citizenship because they are barred from practicing. You’ve chased a lifelong dream, you’ve trained since childhood, but the timeline is unclear and long.”
Her decision about dual citizenship isn’t tied to necessity or urgency. She would consider it, she explained, because they live in the United States and the child is an American citizen, which would matter to the family.
For now, Kunitskaya does not plan to change citizenship. The process would come into play only after about three and a half years.
Kunitskaya last fought professionally a little more than a year ago, losing by technical knockout to Mexican contender Irene Aldana at UFC 264 on July 11, 2021.
Since then, she has become a mother, welcoming daughter Alice, and she is preparing for a return to the octagon.
“Everything is fine. I trained throughout my pregnancy, so returning has been manageable. Our gym is a short drive from home, so there have been no major obstacles so far,” she stated.
She explained that training remains serious, though some adjustments are necessary. “I’m focusing more on hitting techniques and less on wrestling these days. Thiago will fight in two weeks and is busy with his preparations. Alice sometimes cries in the stroller, so we have to adapt. In the future, everything should be better organized.”
Thiago Santos, Kunitskaya’s husband and coach, is also an MMA fighter and is set to headline UFC Fight Night on August 7 against junior contender Jamal Hill.
Despite the long road behind her, the 32-year-old fighter has accumulated 14 losses, six wins, and one overturned result after a prior appeal. In the UFC, she has fought seven times, with four wins and three losses.
Her first UFC appearance was a title bout against Cris Cyborg on March 3, 2018, a fight she ultimately did not win. Since then, she has moved between weight classes but has not yet captured a title opportunity.
After giving birth, Kunitskaya returned to sport several years after announcing retirement. She now feels ready to step back into competition at the highest level.
Interestingly, the couple’s daughter Alice will automatically hold US citizenship because she was born in the United States, while Kunitskaya and Thiago lived there for a time.
“We initially came to the United States on a visa, and this year we obtained a green card. We expect to apply for citizenship after three and a half years. Alice already has US citizenship; she has no other nationality,” Kunitskaya explained.
At the same time, she emphasized that she will continue to compete under the Russian flag if UFC rules permit it, noting that the UFC has not adopted the same display policies as some other organizations.
Earlier, tennis star Daria Kasatkina, in a separate interview, suggested that Russian athletes consider changing their sports citizenship to compete in major tournaments. [Citation: Metaratings interview source]