When it comes to Viacheslav Datsik, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction.
But there's one thing that's plentifully clear. When tass.ru (h/t Bloody Elbow) reported that Datsik was set for release from prison at the end of March, he instantly became the most dangerous pro MMA fighter walking free on planet Earth.
And the best part? He wants to compete again.
If you don't think some MMA promotion out there will jump at that invitation, you haven't been doing a lot of trend-watching in that area lately.
It's hard to find definitive information because the volatile and eccentric behavior of a person as volatile and eccentric as Datsik can lend itself to tall tales. It's hard to find truth when your binoculars are message-board threads, video dispatches and the odd Russian-language website article.
But the bread crumbs are out there.
The first thing you need to know about Datsik is that he is mentally ill. Deeply so. Schizophrenia appears to be the consensus diagnosis, and that's borne out in his public statements and accounts, which smack of delusion.
In one, he is Red Tarzan, a pagan demigod. In another, Jesus was an agent of Mossad, Israel's equivalent of the CIA.
That brings us to bread crumb No. 2: Datsik is an unabashed racist. Beyond racist, actually. More like a white supremacist.
He has filmed video messages before, posing in front of a flag bearing the Nazi party's infamous SS insignia. He has aligned himself with the Russian Nationalist party and the Slavic Union, both organizations openly dedicated to race war and hate crimes, among other things.
I smell yet another smooth segue. Our third, final and perhaps most important truth crumb: Datsik is a multitime convicted criminal.
And a dangerous one, at that. In 2007, he was arrested for robbing cellphone stores but avoided criminal charges because of his mental condition. In 2010, Datsik escaped the psychiatric facility where he was being held by tearing a hole in the fence with his bare hands. Yikes.
Not long after his escape, he robbed a cellphone store. He then tried to seek political asylum in Norway. Yeah, Norway didn't want him.
Police did, however, raid a tattoo parlor with which he was associated. It found several illegal weapons alongside scads of Nazi memorabilia, or whatever you want to call it.
According to an account from Norwegian website VG Nett (translation via Middle Easy), the ensuing court appearance went like this:
Datsik appeared in court today greeting the jugde with a Nazi salute. After the salute he shook the judge's hand and bowed in front of him. Appearing in court with a black T-shirt with Nazi symbols, he allowed the press to take photos of him. Even though both the media and Datsik made claims that the trial should be open to the public, the judge still chose to close the door from the public and media. Police attorney [from the "Organized Crime" section] Kathrine Tonstad said that there was still a lot of information surrounding the case that had not yet reached the public and that it would be in best interest of the investigation to close the court doors from the media today.
That's the guy who was reportedly set free recently. And that's the guy who wants back into pro MMA. Those around Datsik should probably be pushing him toward some kind of treatment or rehabilitation path. Instead, they're pushing him toward fighting.
Who's pushing, you may ask? For one, his mother, Svetlana.
As disturbing as the notion of his return may be, it is also probably inevitable. It will generate buzz for some low- to mid-level Eurasian promotion, of which there are a fair number.
It won't happen only because of his beyond-the-cage resume. His long history of erraticism bleeds into MMA competition as well. He's been known to throw wild kicks, repeatedly use his own head as a weapon and even attack referees. If that doesn't fit your definition of must-see TV, you should feel proud and alone.
This decision is possible, even probable, because your average would-be MMA impresario can easily swaddle said decision in at least one fig leaf of legitimacy: the legitimacy of Datsik himself.
The guy is 36 years old now, coming out of an extended prison term and looking well above his fighting weight. He's not going to beat anyone.
Still, he's 6-9 as a pro, with one very important win among those six. As a lot of fans know, back in 1999 a young Datsik won his first pro MMA bout by knockout. That opponent? A certain man by the name of Andrei Arlovski. The same Arlovski who has gone on to win riches and worldwide acclaim in the sport, and who is now a bona fide contender in the UFC heavyweight division.
It was a long time ago, and it's just one fight, but it's enough. The Datsik patina is just thick enough to make it feel real.
Especially these days.
If you have indeed been doing your trend-watching, you know that sideshow fights are back in style. The resurgence is led by Bellator, which is staging "legend vs. legend" bouts as a way to compete with the mighty UFC.
Most recently, Bellator 149 featured contests between street-fighting legends Dhafir Harris and Kimbo Slice (combined age 80) and UFC pioneers Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie (combined age 101). Harris nearly died after losing to Slice, while Gracie knocked out Shamrock in the first round.
What's really important here, though, is the record ratings Bellator 149 and other events like it have set for Bellator and Spike TV, both of which are owned by the same company, Viacom.
Bellator isn't going to sign Datsik. But it has demonstrated that there is a public appetite for these kinds of things, and it may have helped touch off a race to the bottom. Can we see the bottom? I think we can. It's the promotion that signs Viacheslav Datsik. Set your DVRs.
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