Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov was escorted off a flight leaving Las Vegas in an apparent dispute with airline staff.
The 36-year-old, a former lightweight champion famous for beating Conor McGregor in 2018, was removed from the plane after refusing to change seats.
In a clip that has gone viralNurmagomedov is seen sitting in the exit row. But the staff, supposedly from Alaska Airlines, apparently felt “uncomfortable” and wanted to move him elsewhere for the flight, which was supposedly headed to Los Angeles.
The Russian protested against the “unfair” decision, insisting that he “knows the language” and “how to help people.”
The airline staff member insisted that the problem was not his command of English. But when they asked her why they wanted her to move, she simply said, “They're not comfortable with you sitting in the emergency exit row.”
After Nurmagomedov continued to fight his case – “it's not fair… I'd like to sit here” – the former UFC star was given an ultimatum.
Former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov escorted off flight from Las Vegas
The 36-year-old former MMA fighter was removed from the plane after refusing to move from his seat.
'The Eagle' won all 29 of his UFC fights, culminating with victory over Justin Gaethje in 2020
'Or we're going to make you change seats, because my flight attendants won't let you sit in the exit row. Or you will have to get off this plane and then we will change your reservation,' they told him.
He refused to move and was soon removed from his seat, even though the Russian explained that airport staff had authorized him to sit in the exit row.
'When I was checking in they asked me: do I know everything? I said yes,' he is heard saying.
“I understand, but it's also based on your judgment,” the airline staff member responded. 'I'm not going to do this back and forth.
“I'll call a supervisor, you can take a different seat or we can go ahead and escort you off the plane.”
A few moments later, Nurmagomedov stood up from his seat and walked down the aisle as someone removed luggage from the overhead lockers.
'The Eagle' won all 29 of his fights in the UFC, culminating with victory over Justin Gaethje in 2020. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022.