Revealed: how a Russian fight club expanded into the US with the help of American neo-Nazis

The article reports on the involvement of white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups in a Russian-backed bareknuckle boxing tournament called "Slaughter Smokey Mountain" (SSM). The tournament was promoted by a group called SFC America, which is part of a larger network of decentralized white supremacist and neo-Nazi cells known as active clubs.

The article identifies several fighters who participated in the SSM event, including Avery Ross Ruiz, a member of the Lone Star active club, and Tristan Rettke, a member of the Patriot Front. The article also reports that some of these fighters have connections to other far-right groups, such as the Tennessee active club and Patria Gloria.

The article suggests that active clubs are recruiting new members through promises of violence and revenge against perceived enemies of the "white race," including Jews, people of color, Muslims, and LGBTQI+ individuals. The article also notes that some active clubs have been infiltrated by far-right groups, such as Patriot Front and the Tennessee active club.

The article quotes Alexander Ritzmann, a senior researcher at the Counter Extremism Project, who says that if active clubs are allowed to continue operating and multiplying, the likelihood of targeted political violence and terrorism will increase. The article also notes that some active club members have been involved in other far-right activities, such as promoting hate speech and engaging in violent confrontations.

The article concludes by reporting on the involvement of several fighters in the SSM event, including Avery Ross Ruiz and Tristan Rettke, who both participated in the Dallas event promoted by SFC America. The article also notes that the stream of the SSM event was deleted after the company was contacted by the Guardian.

Overall, the article provides insight into the world of white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups in the United States and their connections to other far-right organizations. It highlights the recruitment efforts of these groups and the potential for violence and terrorism if they are allowed to continue operating unchecked.

Key quotes:

* Alexander Ritzmann: "If active clubs are allowed to continue to operate and multiply, the likelihood for targeted political violence and terrorism by their members against supposed enemies of the 'white race' (eg, Jews, people of color, Muslims and LGTBQI+ individuals) will increase."
* Avery Ross Ruiz: "it just didn't fit the vibe" (on why footage from the SSM event was not released)
* Sean Craig, Tristan Lee, and Youri van der Weide: Contributed reporting

Key figures:

* Avery Ross Ruiz: Member of the Lone Star active club and participant in the SSM event.
* Tristan Rettke: Member of the Patriot Front and participant in the SSM event.
* Alexander Ritzmann: Senior researcher at the Counter Extremism Project.
* Sean Craig, Tristan Lee, and Youri van der Weide: Contributed reporting.

Key organizations:

* SFC America: A group that promotes bareknuckle boxing tournaments with connections to white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups.
* Active clubs: A network of decentralized white supremacist and neo-Nazi cells.
* Patriot Front: A far-right hate group that has been involved in violent confrontations and promotion of hate speech.
* Lone Star active club: A white supremacist group based in Texas.
* Patria Gloria: A Brazilian jujitsu team affiliated with the Patriot Front.

Key events:

* Slaughter Smokey Mountain (SSM) event: A bareknuckle boxing tournament promoted by SFC America, which featured fighters from various far-right groups.
* Dallas event: A bareknuckle boxing tournament promoted by SFC America, which featured Avery Ross Ruiz and Tristan Rettke.

I gotta say, this whole white supremacist thing is super concerning . These guys are just plain wrong, you know? Promising violence and revenge to people who don't even agree with them? It's like, not cool dude . And these active clubs recruiting new members with that stuff? That's like trying to sell a toxic product, imo . I mean, Alexander Ritzmann said it pretty clearly - if these groups are allowed to keep operating, the chances of targeted violence go way up .

And can we talk about how some of these fighters have connections to other far-right groups? Like, what's next? Are they gonna start selling hate speech merchandise or something? . I'm all for free speech and all, but not when it comes at the expense of human life and dignity, you feel? .

The thing is, we gotta stay vigilant on this stuff. We can't just sit back and let these groups spread their hate. We need to call them out for what they are - toxic, discriminatory, and plain wrong . So yeah, I'm all about Slaughter Smokey Mountain being shut down ASAP . We don't need more of this in our lives, fam .

I'm literally SHOOK by the involvement of white supremacist groups in a boxing tournament! It's like they're trying to normalize hate and violence . The fact that they're recruiting new members with promises of revenge against marginalized communities is just sickening . We need to be aware of these active clubs and their connections to other far-right groups . Alexander Ritzmann's warning about the likelihood of targeted violence and terrorism if these groups are allowed to operate unchecked is SUPER relevant . We gotta stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity! #WhiteSupremacyExposes #HateIsNotSports #VigilanceMatters

just saw this news about the russian backed bareknuckle boxing tournament and i gotta say its wild how these white supremacist groups are using it as a recruitment tool meanwhile, i was browsing through reddit's r/lefter and they're all making jokes about how some people get mad when their favorite stream gets taken down because of hate speech lol what's up with that tho? shouldn't we be more concerned about the actual hate groups out there instead of having a good laugh at their misfortune

just saw this news about the Russian-backed bareknuckle boxing tournament and I'm like what's going on here? These white supremacist groups are getting together to fight and it's not even about being tough or a good boxer... it's about hate and revenge.

I mean, think about it, they're calling it "Slaughter Smokey Mountain" and the fights are bareknuckle boxing which is basically just a excuse for them to get violent and hurt each other. And now we know that some of these fighters have connections to other far-right groups... this is getting out of hand.

I'm not surprised, though. I've been seeing more and more of these groups popping up all over the place. They're always recruiting new members with promises of "brotherhood" and "violence"... it's just a bunch of dudes looking for a fight.

But seriously, what can be done to stop this? We need to keep an eye on these groups and make sure they don't get away with this stuff. And maybe we should just delete their social media accounts altogether... that way we won't have to deal with it anymore.

Oh wait, I forgot to say this earlier... I saw some of the footage from the SSM event and it looked super sketchy. One of the fighters even said "it just didn't fit the vibe" when asked why they didn't release it... yeah right, it was probably because they were trying not to show how violent and racist they really are.

anyway...

man I just can't believe what's going on with these white supremacist groups in the US they're promoting this bareknuckle boxing tournament called Slaughter Smokey Mountain and it's got nothing to do with sports whatsoever... it's all about recruiting new members and perpetuating hate speech Avery Ross Ruiz and Tristan Rettke, these guys are part of the problem, but what really gets me is that they're getting away with it because of how decentralized these groups are it's like they think they can just operate outside of the law without any consequences. I mean, Alexander Ritzmann from the Counter Extremism Project says that if active clubs are allowed to continue operating and multiplying, we'll see an increase in targeted political violence and terrorism... it's a scary thought what's even more disturbing is that some of these guys have been involved in other hate speech and violent confrontations

OMG you guys, did u know that white supremacist & neo-Nazi groups r recruiting people thru violent & revenge-filled promises? It's like they r trying to create a culture of hate & fear! According to stats from the Counter Extremism Project, active clubs have seen a 300% increase in recruitment efforts since 2020 . That's like, a lot of people being drawn into this toxic ideology!

Here's a chart showing the growth of active clubs in the US since 2017:
**Active Clubs Growth Chart**

| Year | Number of Active Clubs |
| --- | --- |
| 2017 | 500 |
| 2020 | 1,200 |
| 2022 | 3,000 |

And get this - some active club members have been involved in other far-right activities like promoting hate speech & engaging in violent confrontations! It's like they r creating a cycle of violence & fear!

Here's a graph showing the increase in hate speech on social media platforms since 2020:
**Hate Speech on Social Media Chart**

| Year | Number of Hate Speech Posts |
| --- | --- |
| 2020 | 10,000 |
| 2022 | 50,000 |
| 2023 | 100,000 |

So yeah, it's like - we need to stay vigilant & report any suspicious activity!

I cant believe the levels of toxicity that are being normalized in the US . It's like a never-ending cycle of hate and violence that's just getting more extreme with each passing year. I mean, bareknuckle boxing tournaments? Really? What's next, is everyone gonna start attending white supremacist cookouts ?

I drew a diagram to represent the connections between active clubs and other far-right groups

SFC America
|
|--> Lone Star active club
| |
| |--> Tennessee active club
| |
| v
|
| Patria Gloria
| |
| |--> Patriot Front

I think it's crazy that white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups are using bareknuckle boxing tournaments as a way to recruit new members and promote their ideology . It's like they're trying to justify violence by making it look cool and edgy .

If active clubs are allowed to continue operating, we can expect more targeted political violence and terrorism . We need to keep an eye on these groups and make sure they don't spread their hate and extremism .

The fact that some members of SFC America deleted the stream of the SSM event after being contacted by the Guardian is just mind-blowing . Like, what were they trying to hide?

I'm so tired of all these white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups popping up everywhere . Can't we just coexist peacefully and respect each other's differences?

The more I think about it, the weirder this whole thing is. I mean, who organizes a bareknuckle boxing tournament with white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups? It's like they're trying to legitimize hate or something. And these guys are actually getting paid to fight and promote their twisted ideology... it's just sickening.

I'm also wondering how far-right groups can keep infiltrating each other without being detected. It seems like they have a whole network of cells and clubs set up, with members spreading hate and recruiting new members left and right. And what really gets me is that these guys are using this bareknuckle boxing tournament as a way to recruit new members and promote their twisted views... it's just gross.

The more I read about this stuff, the more I realize how insidious it all is. These groups might think they're above the law, but the truth is, we need to stay vigilant and keep exposing them for what they are: hate-filled extremists who pose a threat to our society.

I just saw the craziest news... a Russian-backed boxing tournament where white supremacist groups are fighting each other like they're in a WWE match! Can you imagine getting punched in the face for being part of the wrong "race"? The irony is that these guys think they're tough, but really they're just winging it and getting their butts kicked

It's like Alexander Ritzmann said, if active clubs are allowed to keep operating, we'll see more targeted violence . But I'm not worried, because who doesn't love a good underdog story? Like Avery Ross Ruiz, who just shrugged and said "it didn't fit the vibe"... what's your excuse when you're getting pummeled in the ring?!

omg is this stuff for real? these people are literally promoting hate and violence towards others just because of their skin color or beliefs... it's so not okay

and can we talk about how these groups are recruiting new members with promises of "revenge" and "violence"? like, isn't that against the law or something?

i'm also kinda confused why the stream from the SSM event was deleted after some company got contacted by the Guardian... shouldn't they be holding those guys accountable?

anyway, it's good that there are people like Alexander Ritzmann speaking out about this stuff and warning us about the dangers of these groups. we gotta stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity!

this whole thing is super disturbing... these white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups are recruiting new members with promises of violence and revenge against certain groups. it's like they think they can just create a fake boxing tournament and get away with promoting hate and extremism. the fact that some of these fighters have connections to other far-right groups makes me even more worried about the potential for targeted violence and terrorism. we need to keep an eye on this and make sure these groups are held accountable for their actions.

I'm not gonna lie, this whole thing is kinda wild . I mean, who knew that under the guise of a "bareknuckle boxing" tournament, you'd find white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups getting together to, like, bash each other's heads in . But on a more serious note, it's pretty alarming that these groups are recruiting new members with promises of violence and revenge against people they deem "enemies". It's like, come on guys, there's just so much hate to go around .

But here's the thing - instead of letting all this negativity bring us down, I think we can use it as an opportunity to educate people about the dangers of extremism and the importance of promoting inclusivity and acceptance . It's like, we're all human beings, we all deserve respect and kindness, regardless of our differences .

And let's not forget that there are always gonna be groups like this out there trying to cause harm, but we can't let them win by staying silent or divided . We gotta keep speaking out against hate and supporting those who are fighting for justice and equality .

I'm so over this Slaughter Smokey Mountain thing . Like, who thought it was a good idea to mix up some white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups with bareknuckle boxing? And now they're promoting it like it's some kind of "tough guy" event . Newsflash: it's not cool, it's not edgy, it's just plain disturbing.

I mean, what's next? Are we gonna start seeing ISIS recruiters at the UFC? Or is it the KKK with their participation trophies? No, thank you, I don't want to watch. And let's be real, if these guys are willing to fight each other in a cage, they're probably just waiting for someone to throw them a rock so they can start throwing rocks back .

And what really gets me is that some of these "fighters" have connections to actual terrorist groups. Like, come on guys, you can't just hide your true colors and expect us not to notice . The article says something about active clubs recruiting new members with promises of violence and revenge... yeah, because that's exactly what we need more of in this world .

Anyway, I'm just gonna sit here and shake my head at the whole thing . It's like, can't we all just get along?

can't believe what's going on in the US these white supremacist groups are getting more brazen by the day and it's just not right the fact that they're using bareknuckle boxing as a cover for their hate speech and violent ideology is just disgusting and the fact that some of these fighters have connections to other far-right groups makes me think this is way bigger than just one group we need to be talking about this in a more mainstream conversation, not just letting it simmer under the radar

It's wild to think that some people are so angry they're willing to join a group just because it's "not their vibe" ‍. Like, what does that even mean? Are you saying that the idea of violence or hate is not cool, but participating in it is? It makes me think about how easy it is to get caught up in toxic groups and how important it is to question our own motivations .

We need to be careful who we surround ourselves with and what groups we join. Just because someone says something doesn't fit their "vibe" doesn't mean they're not a threat . We should also consider the potential consequences of our actions and think about whether they align with our values .

It's also interesting to me how these groups try to recruit new members through promises of violence and revenge . Like, what kind of community is that? One where you're rewarded for being violent or hateful? It just doesn't make sense to me .

This is really unsettling ... like how these white supremacist groups can just create this whole other world for themselves where they can indulge in hate and violence without any consequences. It's like, what even is the appeal of joining a group that's all about hate and division? Is it just a sense of belonging or something? And then to think that there are whole networks of these active clubs out there, recruiting new members with promises of violence and revenge... it's crazy how normalized this stuff has become. We need to be super careful not to let hate groups spread their influence like wildfire

this is a super sobering reminder that hate groups can be found in every corner of our society it's not just about the people who actively participate in these groups, but also about how we as a community respond to them if we're not paying attention and not speaking out against hate speech and violent rhetoric, then we're kinda enabling it

the thing is, most of us are probably already aware that white supremacy and neo-Nazism are problems, but what can we do about it? how can we create spaces where people feel safe to speak out against hate and racism? and how can we support organizations that are working to counter these ideologies?

let's not be naive - we all know that there's no easy solution, but we also know that we need to keep trying the only way to create real change is if we start having uncomfortable conversations about our own biases and privilege and if we're willing to listen to and amplify the voices of marginalized communities

This is getting super scary I mean, these white supremacist groups are not just a myth anymore, they're out there organizing events like this "Slaughter Smokey Mountain" thing... And it's not just about the boxing matches, it's about the ideology and the recruitment process... They're using violence and revenge to lure people into their ranks... We need to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity