Russian PM meets Hollywood hunk at a mixed fighting championship
Russian PM meets Hollywood hunk at a mixed fighting championshipVladimir Putin, the Russian Prime Minister, visited a bare knuckle fight night with Hollywood star
Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Fight Without Rules is a vicious combination of boxing and karate where virtually anything goes, save eye-gouging and biting. It is incredibly popular in south of Russia.
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| Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin speaks with Jean-Claude Van Damme during the tournament in Sochi. |
So it seemed a perfect night out for the man who has dominated Russia for the last decade and the film star known for a string of martial arts films.
Something fishyThe pair, who have known each other for many years, spent the evening at a restaurant in the Black Sea resort of Sochi known for its fish specialities.
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"They just talked," said Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Putin. "They also spoke about the forthcoming match."
After the meal, Van Damme and Putin, attended the European Championship where the premier bestowed a prize on the winner.
"The so-called fist fights have always been in favour in Russia," said Putin, a judo specialist. He has been photographed on a number of occasions in an effort to promote him as a photogenic, healthy, intrepid leader.
Last summer Putin dived in a mini-submarine to the floor of the world's deepest lake, Baikal, and rafted down fast flowing rivers in Siberia. He also clipped a radio transmitter on to a beluga whale.
