Narrator: Wahid Nazhand is one of the most famous
MMA fighters in Afghanistan.
But it has come at a cost.
Phone calls threatening his life and his gym
have been constant for at least the past year.
Narrator: Nazhand kept training,
even as the Taliban approached Kabul in midsummer.
He is the reigning welterweight champion
of Afghanistan's premier MMA organization,
called the Snow Leopard Fighting Championship.
We first met him in July,
and he couldn't even go for a run
without being recognized by fans.
Now, with the Taliban in control of the country,
many athletes are worried about what it will mean
for their sport and their safety.
The extremist group has banned
or heavily restricted many sports in the past.
Since the US first announced
it would withdraw from Afghanistan,
targeted killings of journalists, activists,
and religious minorities have been on the rise.
And now there's fear that athletes could be next.
Narrator: Mixed martial arts has had a growing fan base
in Afghanistan since the championship started in 2015.
In Kabul alone, there are now 120 gyms
that cater to MMA hopefuls.
Narrator: At least 50 matches air on Afghan TV every year.
Nazhand won one of Afghanistan's largest fights
last December, broadcast by Tolo TV.
He beat another popular fighter, Zaki Rasuli.
Zaki has also been receiving threats
since his MMA career took off,
and he worries things could get worse.
Narrator: Zaki was too young to remember it,
but he is well aware of the five years
of oppressive Taliban rule
between 1996 and 2001.
Men were required to grow beards.
Women had to completely cover in public
and were banned from schools and workplaces.
All forms of entertainment, including TV, were banned.
Zaki says things got slightly better when the US Army came,
but there's always been conflict.
Narrator: He avoids training in big gyms,
so he's not easily recognized.
Narrator: Despite their fame, fighters here earn
just a few hundred dollars for each event.
Narrator: In comparison, the lower-tier UFC fighters
can make at least $10,000 per fight,
and champions with large fan bases can make millions.
Both Nazhand and Zaki have a growing social-media presence,
sharing workout routines
and making some money from sponsoring local products,
like this energy drink.
Narrator: But none of them have landed major sponsorships.
Nazhand makes most of his money from his gym
that sits on the edge of Kabul.
This past summer, he had about 25 students.
Some paid about $5 per month,
but he didn't charge students who couldn't afford it.
He closed the gym on the day
the Taliban took over the capital.
But even before that, when we met him,
he was always on high alert.
Narrator: Like most fighters,
when Nazhand would compete abroad,
he had to pay for his own trips,
which can cost up to $5,000.
International travel is on hold for now,
but it was tough even before the Taliban came into power.
Narrator: Zaki says misconceptions and prejudice
also get in their way.
Narrator: While both fighters worry about the future,
they hope that MMA can bring people together,
even just for small moments.
Narrator: Outside of the arena,
both men wish for peace more than anything else.