Top fighter picks, both old and current

[BR99TAL]

I've scoured looking for any footage or documentation of Igor and Sambo. If you look at it from a timeline perspective, he was already very active in MMA/NHB by the time he was 22 and had over 60 pro kickboxing fights by the time he started MMA/NHB. That leaves very little time for him to have picked up Sambo training.

That, and if you watch some of his early fights, it's very obvious that he had very little, if any, background in grappling. He eventually evolved to include some leglocks that are common to a Sambo fighter, but that would not make him a Sambo guy.

I always thought igor did both, but was an strict standup fighter, as you can see in older matches he wanted his opponents to stand up again and avoid ground game.
however, your explanation looks plausible.