The MMA scene in Italy in Greece is basically nonexistent. They are much more into kickboxing. If MMA was as big as kickboxing was in those areas, you'd see fighters like Mike Zambidis and Giorgio Petrosyan in MMA. But no one knows/cares about MMA there except a very small amount of hardcore martial arts fans.. so you don't really see development of fighters because there is zero money to be made in MMA in those countries right now.
What they need is a star breakout fighter to bring attention to the sport in their country. Pretty much the same way all countries that MMA was not big in, but is currently big now, had happen. Like Conor for Ireland, Bisping for the UK, Sakuraba for Japan, etc.
They need someone they can connect to, that speaks their own language, that puts together a string of devastating wins on a big stage to get the people rallied behind them.
It has nothing to do with where they were born really, just has to do with the state of MMA in the country itself. Some absolutely amazing pound for pound all time great kickboxers come from that area... so you gotta figure if it happened to be MMA that was the big thing there instead of kickboxing, that's what the kids would be training in and learning, and subsequently raising the bar for talent and getting better as time goes on.
It can happen in the future for sure, but again, they'd need one breakout guy to go on a run and inspire the nation before people give it the time of day.
