There could be more Yael Romeros if they could travel outside the country, didn't have so many restrictions on them. I wouldn't mind training with them, they really love martial arts and maybe one day their dream of competing will come true and Cubans will take the UFC by storm. www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YxfCScOxqc
Seriously can you imagine how many Cuban fighters could be in the UFC if politics didn't make it so difficult for them. Its like imagining how many boxers could have come out of the USSR. Look how many fighters have come from all corners of the former Soviet union since the fall of communism.
That's a cool video. I love Vice Fightland. There are some very talented fighters in Cuba for sure. There were a few unique training exercises that were pretty cool. It's interesting where that Evelio Padron Ferrier states that he combined Judo, Boxing, and Taekwondo into one form to create MMA in Cuba. If that is true, it's almost like it's a distinct style unique to Cuba.
It's also a good way to sell MMA to government regulators who aren't that keen on its existence (something he pointed out as an issue that MMA is facing in Cuba). It lets him say, "this isn't something totally new and unrelated to existing sports. In one sense, we're really just training in three existing Olympic sports all mashed together."
The Joe Rogan Podcast was an interesting listen for Yoel. He describes that strange pyramid ranking system... where the top end abilities get treated than 2nd tier and 3rd tier. They get better food/drink etc, which makes the 2nd and 3rd tier resent them and get better to take over their spot.
