In an unusual incident, former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov found himself escorted off a flight from Las Vegas, reportedly after a dispute with airline staff.
The 36-year-old Russian, known for his legendary undefeated UFC career, including a memorable victory over Conor McGregor in 2018, was removed from the plane after refusing to change his seat.
The Disagreement and What Happened on the Plane
Nurmagomedov, who was traveling on a Frontier Airlines flight, had been seated in the exit row.
According to reports, airline staff became “uncomfortable” with his position and requested that he move to another seat.
The flight was headed to Los Angeles, and the former lightweight champion strongly objected to the seat change, arguing that he was cleared to sit there by airport staff.
In a viral video from the incident, Nurmagomedov can be seen politely resisting the request.
He insists that he understands English and can help in the event of an emergency, stating, “It’s not fair… I’d like to sit here.”
Despite his protests, the staff member reiterated that the issue was not related to his understanding of the language but rather their discomfort with him sitting in the exit row.
The Ultimatum and Khabib’s Response
After further discussion, the flight attendant issued an ultimatum: either move to another seat or leave the plane.
Nurmagomedov remained firm in his stance and was eventually escorted off the aircraft.
He calmly walked down the aisle as his luggage was removed from the overhead compartment.
The UFC Hall of Famer later shared his version of events on social media, clarifying that it was Frontier Airlines, not another airline as initially reported.
He described the flight attendant as being rude from the outset, even though he assured her that he understood English and was willing to cooperate.
He also questioned whether racial or national factors might have played a role in the incident.
Khabib’s Calm Demeanor and Social Media Statement
Despite the tension, Khabib emphasized that he remained calm and respectful during the exchange.
He explained that after being deplaned, he boarded another airline and continued his journey to his destination.
He expressed that while he did his best to stay composed, he felt the airline staff could have handled the situation more politely.
Khabib, who retired from the UFC undefeated in 2020, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022.
His career was marked by his dominance in the octagon, with 29 victories and no losses, making this incident on a commercial flight a stark contrast to his calm and controlled persona in the cage.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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