Afghan competitors fight during a mixed martial arts (MMA) match in Kabul, Afghanistan March 30, 2017. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani
KABUL (Reuters) - In a custom-built arena in Kabul, crowds cheered as young Afghan men punched, kicked, and wrestled in the country's first professional mixed martial arts league, a welcome distraction to the violence besetting the country.
While cricket and football more commonly grab public attention in Afghanistan, fighters and fans see martial arts not just as entertainment but as a constructive pastime for youths in a country torn by war and economic malaise.
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