MMA fighter Jeff Monson first made a name for himself in the grappling scene. He becoming a multiple time ADCC winner, and eventually made his way to the UFC in 1997. Despite his accomplishments in the sport, he is most known for being politically minded—described by his critics as being an "anarchist" and "anti-American." Neither is true, but Jeff's outspoken views on things like U.S. foreign policy certainly marked the reputation of the man who can now be considered as one of mixed martial art's early pioneers.He's far past his prime, but Jeff Monson's legend continues. He continues to compete, but since 2015, has only done so in Russia. This comes as no surprise, as Monson's love affair with Russia started long ago. In an interview with Newsweek, Monson mentions that the Russian people's reaction to his loss against Fedor Emelianenko in particular had a significant impact on his life."I wasn't shunned for my defeat but praised for my persistence. I later came to realize that this is a defining trait of the Russian people, and was regularly invited back to Russia for grappling matches and fights and to do charity work for underprivileged kids," he stated.Earlier this year, "The Snowman" applied for, and was granted, Russian citizenship."Those who know me know that I never hold back when it comes to things I care about. I sure as hell don't plan to start now. But my critics will be sad to hear that my decision wasn't the result of my longtime dislike of America's aggressive foreign policy or imperialistic capitalist ambitions," he explained in the same interview."Rather, it was due to my solidarity with the Russian people, something I felt when I first visited Russia in 2011. I felt deep down right away that this is my home—the one place I feel at peace with myself and my surroundings. And it was as unexpected for me as it would be for nearly any American."
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Well, it looks like Jeff has already made himself at home. Earlier today, a clip of his time on the Russian version of ABC's Dancing with the Stars surfaced on YouTube—around the same time UFC star Paige VanZant announced she would be on the next season of the domestic version of the show.While we are sure Paige will do a great job (surely better than Randy Couture), there is something about Jeff Monson doing the Foxtrot in Russia that is way more interesting.Besides, there's something adorable and memorizing about the grizzly veteran dancing with his gorgeous Russian partner dressed as Beauty and the Beast. We love you Paige, but we're really just hoping more of Jeff's performances will show up online.