How this warlord is using MMA to build an army For 17 years, the tiny Russian republic of Chechnya has been ruled by the iron-fist of Ramzan Kadyrov. He’s a warlord-turned-dictator, one of Vladimir Putin’s favorite allies, and the most controversial figure in the world of mixed martial arts. Kadyrov has used MMA to reshape Chechen society, turn it into a hotbed of talent, and produce world-famous fighters.