In this episode of The Anything Combat Show, host Johnny K sits down with Coach Samir Aliev — former Moldovan MMA champion, Combat Sambo master, and one of the most respected coaches rising from Eastern Europe’s fighting scene.
Samir shares his journey from Azerbaijan to Moldova, how his freestyle wrestling roots and Combat Sambo success shaped his philosophy, and why he believes wrestling is the hardest and most complete combat sport. He opens up about his injuries, retirement, and rebirth as a coach, driven by faith and purpose to guide a new generation toward greatness.
The conversation dives deep into the mechanics of modern MMA grappling, the underrated power of Greco-Roman transitions, and how fighters like Khabib, Islam, and Chimaev revolutionized control, pressure, and chain wrestling. Samir reveals his unique coaching system, built from years of trial and error without formal guidance, now molded to help his students avoid the mistakes he made.
From the psychology of control and endurance to his encounters with legends like Khabib Nurmagomedov, this episode delivers a raw look into the mentality, discipline, and systems that create elite combatants.
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