Islam Makhachev and Myktybek Orolbai Discuss Playing Kok Boru in Kyrgyzstan This Winter

Islam Makhachev’s October trip to Kyrgyzstan included a game of traditional horseback game Kok Boru, which sparked a conversation between him and Myktybek Orolbai when they met in Dubai.

Islam: “Can we play in the winter?”

Mytekbek: “We will play with professionals.”

Islam: “Brother, I’m not ready to play with professionals yet. We’ll just have a training session.”

Orolbai, thought,  it was a good idea to bring in professional players. Makhachev had a different game plan. Islam told that he would be able to play with pro and instead would love to have a training session while playing the game . Makhachev was first introduced to Kok Boru  game during his visit to Kyrgyzstan in October.

What is the 'Kok Boru' game ?

Kok Boru is a traditional horse game played in Kyrgyzstan and the rest of Central Asia. It is played between two teams of mounted riders.

Think of it as a game of rugby but on horses- All teams have horse riders.
- Players attempt to pick up a goat carcass from the ground while riding.
- they carry it into the other team's scoring zone
- The team with most points wins.
Kok Boru is also important to Kyrgyz culture. It's not just a sport, it's a tradition that brings people together. It was put on the list of important cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2017.

Makhachev Wants Another Go at Kok Boru

Makhachev was first introduced to Kok Boru during his visit to Kyrgyzstan in October. You get points for carrying a dead goat corpse toward the scoring area . Riding a horse requires a lot of control, strength and balance.

The UFC  welterweight champ also saw how much the sport can take on the body. On that visit, he even invited Orolbai to play a game, but the Kyrgyz boxer was not there. Makhachev may have another shot at the sport ,thanks to Orolbai's  invitation. But neither fighter has disclosed a confirmed date for the visit.

It was a friendly chat in Dubai for now but Makhachev looked like he wanted to give Kok Boru another go, this time in the snow.