Khabib nurmagomedov addresses flight removal, hints at racial discrimination

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov addressed the incident in which he was removed from a flight traveling from Las Vegas to Los Angeles on Saturday.

Nurmagomedov was en route to L.A. to assist his cousin, Umar Nurmagomedov, in his bantamweight title fight against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 311 on January 18.

Initial reports were limited, with a video showing Nurmagomedov calmly speaking with a flight attendant as he sought to understand why he was being asked to move from his seat.

It was later revealed that the flight attendant had requested Nurmagomedov, who was seated in an exit row, to assist with a potential evacuation. While Nurmagomedov speaks English, a language barrier may have contributed to the misunderstanding.

He was ultimately removed from the flight but boarded another one to Los Angeles a few hours later.

In a statement on social media, Nurmagomedov reflected on the incident, suggesting that racial and national factors may have played a role in the situation.

He mentioned that while he understood the flight attendant’s request, there seemed to be a lack of willingness to navigate the language barrier.

The former UFC champion emphasised that he answered the attendant’s question correctly, but the misunderstanding led to his removal from the flight.

The incident has raised concerns about potential discrimination.