UFC Champ Khabib removed from flight, claims racial profiling

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has alleged racial profiling by Frontier Airlines after he was removed from a flight on Sunday.

The incident occurred as Nurmagomedov traveled to UFC 311, where his teammates Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov are scheduled to compete.

Videos circulating on social media show the retired champion engaged in a heated exchange with a flight attendant while seated in an emergency exit row.

The dispute centered on Nurmagomedov’s ability to communicate in English, a requirement for passengers in those seats.

Despite his assurances and fluency, he was asked to vacate the seat and subsequently removed from the flight.

In a statement released afterward, Nurmagomedov expressed his disappointment, hinting that bias may have influenced the attendant’s behavior.

“The lady who came to me was very rude from the start,” Nurmagomedov stated. “Even though I speak decent English and agreed to assist, she still insisted on removing me from my seat.

“What was the basis for that? Racial, national, or something else? I’m not sure. After two minutes of conversation, she called security, and I was deplaned. After an hour and a half, I boarded another airline and reached my destination.

“I remained calm and respectful, as you can see in the video. Those crew members could do better next time by simply being nice to their clients.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has since called for an investigation into the matter.

“We urge Frontier Airlines and the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a swift and transparent investigation,” CAIR said in a statement. “This inquiry must determine whether religious or racial profiling played a role in Khabib Nurmagomedov’s treatment.”

Frontier Airlines has not issued a comment on the incident.

Nurmagomedov’s teammates, Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov, are strong favorites heading into UFC 311 with the top online sportsbooks.

Makhachev faces Arman Tsarukyan in the main event and is listed as a -400 favorite at Bovada. Umar, meanwhile, takes on Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title, with odds favoring him at -333.33 to +250.

The incident has reignited discussions around the treatment of passengers in sensitive circumstances, particularly regarding cultural and linguistic considerations.

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