Khabib Nurmagomedov was removed from a Frontier Airlines flight travelling from Las Vegas to San Francisco. He was flying out to support his teammates at UFC 311. The former UFC lightweight champion was seated in the emergency exit row, but the flight crew raised concerns about his ability to assist in an emergency, despite him being cleared for the seat during check-in. This led to a tense confrontation with the airline staff.
The issue escalated when a member of the airline staff, whom Khabib described as “very rude from the very beginning,” insisted that he move from his seat. Khabib, fluent in English, refused to change his seat, stating that he was capable of handling the responsibilities of the emergency exit row. However, Khabib was escorted off the plane after the situation continued to heat up.
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In a post on social media, Khabib explained the incident, expressing confusion over the airline’s behaviour. He wrote: “Lady who comes to me with questions was very rude from the very beginning, even though I speak very decent English and can understand everything and agreed to assist, she still insists on removing me from my seat.” He added, “What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I’m not sure. But after 2 minutes of conversation, she called security and I was deplaned from this aircraft. After 1.5 hours I boarded another airline and left for my destination. I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you can see on the video. But those crew members could do better next time and just be nice with clients.”
The incident sparked outrage in the MMA community, with many figures showing support for Khabib. UFC legend Daniel Cormier commented, “That’s really bad.” While other fighters like Michael Chandler and Belal Muhammad expressed disbelief at the situation. Khabib’s coach, Javier Mendez, also defended him, stating, “He deserves an apology from whatever airline he was ejected from. The man speaks English well and there is not a more capable person on that plane to help others in an emergency situation than the man that was sitting in that exit row seat.”
Hasbulla, the internet sensation, also shared his frustration with a simple two-word response. Many in the MMA community have called for a boycott of Frontier Airlines. With some even vowing never to fly with the airline again. The situation has also sparked a broader conversation about potential racial or national bias and the treatment of high-profile individuals. Despite the incident, Khabib managed to board another flight and continue his journey to UFC 311.
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