Why do Croats excel in combat sports while their neighbours do not?

[Leopard]

Croats are one of the most sucesfull nation in combat sports in the world-.
Three world champions in boxing :Mate Parlov, world and european champion,, Stipe Drviš and Stjepan Božić both european champions,Mavrovic fought with Lex Lenox for tittle and now we have Hrgovic who is the winner of European champion.
About K1:Brnko Cikatic was the first man who won K1, then we have Mirko, legend of that Sport.
And now we have Stipe Miočić who is hevyweight UFC world champion,
On the other hand I never heard of Serb or Bosniak fighters.

[oszkar07]

Croats are one of the most sucesfull nation in combat sports in the world-.
Three world champions in boxing :Mate Parlov, world and european champion,, Stipe Drviš and Stjepan Božić both european champions,Mavrovic fought with Lex Lenox for tittle and now we have Hrgovic who is the winner of European champion.
About K1:Brnko Cikatic was the first man who won K1, then we have Mirko, legend of that Sport.
And now we have Stipe Miočić who is hevyweight UFC world champion,
On the other hand I never heard of Serb or Bosniak fighters.

As far as I know there are some Serb and Bosniak fighters in the UFC but I dont think any of them have become champions.
Croats have recently done well in the elit field of combat sports, other nations outside the region that tend to do well are Mexicans, Brazillians, Russians, Armenians and to some degree the Dutch, Caucasus nations eg Avars and Dagestani's too.
There was a heavy weight Hungarian mma champion from Slovakia who was in Belator but I think he is retired now.