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Legendary MMA fighter Monson ditches US passport, says he is 'only Russian' now

Jeff Monson is known for his love of Russia and its Soviet past

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/. Russia’s legendary US-born mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Jeff Monson told TASS on Monday that he officially surrendered his US passport to the US Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, thereby formally renouncing his American citizenship.

"Yes, I just finished at the American Embassy in Turkey. I am no longer American, only Russian," he told TASS, adding that his decision to renounce his US citizenship was driven by his opposition to Washington’s current policies and that all of his thoughts and future activities would hereafter be linked exclusively with Russia.

Monson also said that he planned to hold his next bout in June, but refrained from giving details of the fight and his possible opponent.

"The next fight is planned for June. Details will be announced later," he told TASS.

In late April, the legendary MMA fighter, who also serves as a city councilor in a Moscow suburb, announced to TASS that he was determined to renounce his American citizenship because of his opposition to the current policies of the United States government.

According to other reports from April, Monson filed papers stating his intention to run for a seat in the legislative assembly of the central Russian region of Bashkortostan, formally known as the State Assembly - Kurultai of the Republic of Bashkortostan, as a candidate of United Russia, the country’s ruling party.

Monson was granted Russian citizenship in May 2018 and in September of that year was elected to the Council of Deputies (city council) of the Krasnogorsk District, Moscow Region, an inner suburb of the neighboring City of Moscow.

Jeffrey William Monson, 52, nicknamed "The Snowman," hails from the state of Minnesota, USA. As a mixed martial arts fighter, he boasts a record of 85 fights, chalking up 60 wins. He is also a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion. His last fight was in the Russian city of Belgorod on October 22, 2016, when Monson defeated Alex "Bizon" Kardo of Russia, using a chokehold.

Monson is known for his love of Russia and its Soviet past. On many occasions, he has appeared in the ring to the strains of the Soviet national anthem. In 2016, he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of Abkhazia; in 2017, he was granted a passport of the Lugansk People’s Republic in the Donbass region.

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