Anastasia Yankova is back in action in just under two months at Bellator 200, facing Kate Jackson in a preliminary card encounter.
Photos have surfaced of the fighter appearing in White Rex clothing, which is a Neo-Nazi affiliated clothing company, but Yankova denies any link to the company.
“I want to stress that I am not affiliated to any Nazi groups,” Yankova told RT. “Nor do I share or have I ever shared Nazi ideology.”
White Rex has also sponsored and run MMA events in the past, with Yankova competing on one of those shows.
Yankova claims that she competed on a White Rex card to gain experience as a fighter, not to become associated with their alleged Neo-Nazi beliefs.
“In 2013, I was invited to take a part in my first professional MMA tournament, which I knew would be broadcast on TV, and include a number of well-known sports figures,” said Yankova. “That was a chance to start my career and back then I saw no reason to turn down such an opportunity. I received my promised pay and was invited to take a part in photo and video shoots to promote a clothing brand. That was a start any young girl taking her first steps in this sport could only dream of. Especially considering the lack of opportunity to do that in Russia back in those days.”
Bellator 200 takes place on Friday, May 25 from the SSE Arena in London, England with Rafael Carvalho and Gegard Mousasi headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
