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Kyrill Comes Out Fighting

August 1, 2020

Keep punching until your opponent is finished.  Tens of thousands of Russians do just that in their free time. They get into the ring to fight, no holds barred. Kirill Michailov – known in freefighting circles as "The Killer" – is one of them.

https://p.dw.com/p/3gGGk

"Some people sky dive, others get blind drunk, me, I just come out fighting," says Kirill Michailov. He has been freefighting for two years now, and has won all five of his bouts. He's proud of his achievement. It helps him escape the tedium of the days he spends working in a mobile phone shop. And he forgets the tiny flat where he lives with his girlfriend. Domestic violence is a major problem in Russia. But Kirill says the brutal fights help him to be a nice guy. Now he's facing a huge challenge in the finals of the freefighting championship, with contenders coming from all over Russia. But will he emerge victorious there as well? A Report by Juri Rescheto. A Report by Juri Rescheto.