A viral video shows UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov being removed from a plane after an interaction with a flight attendant in an emergency exit row before takeoff. The video was posted on TikTok on January 11, 2025.
Many social media users have said the incident took place on an Alaska Airlines flight. But Alaska Airlines told Heavy that it did not occur on one of their planes.
“We have seen media reports with a video showing a passenger being asked to leave an aircraft, incorrectly identifying it as an Alaska Airlines flight,” a spokesperson told Heavy in an email on January 12. “We have checked our records and did not have this individual on an Alaska Airlines flight that day.”
Nurmagomedov, who retired from the UFC in March 2021 with a 29-0 career record, posted on Instagram that the incident happened on Frontier Airlines during a flight from Las Vegas to San Francisco. Frontier has not responded to a request for comment from Heavy.
“First of all, I need to clarify that it was @flyfrontier not Alaska Air,” Nurmagomedov wrote on Instagram. “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. What was the base for that, racial, national or other one, I’m not sure.”
He added, “But after 2 minutes of conversation, she called security and I was deplaned from this aircraft, after 1,5 hour I boarded another airline one and left to 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 Video Shows Khabib Nurmagomedov Saying ‘It’s Not Fair’ Before Leaving the Plane
The video starts mid-conversation as Khabib Nurmagomedov talks to a crew member or airline employee. Nurmagamedov can be heard mentioning something about language, and the employee responds, “It’s not about the language, sir.”
The woman talking to Nurmagomedov can then be heard telling him, “OK, so what we’re going to do is either have you switch your seat because my flight attendants are not allowing you to sit in an exit row or you’re going to have to get off this plane and we’ll have to rebook you.”
When the former UFC Lightweight champion asks why, the woman responds that the flight attendants are “not comfortable” with him sitting in the exit row. Nurmagomedov responds, “It’s not fair,” and the woman says back, “It is fair.” She adds that it is the flight attendants’ “judgement” as to whether someone is allowed to sit in the exit row.
“I’m not going to do this back and forth,” the woman tells Nurmagomedov, and then says she will call a supervisor and that he can either switch his seat or be escorted off the plane. Nurmagomedov appears to answer that he wants a supervisor and she says that she will get one for him and they will rebook him on another plane. The video shows the UFC Hall of Famer leaving the plane with an airline employee.
CAIR Has Called for a ‘Transparent Probe’ of the Incident
In a statement, the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for the Department of Transportation to “swiftly and transparently” investigate the incident. CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad called for authorities to, “investigate this incident to determine exactly what happened on this flight and why athlete and Muslim advocate Khabib Nurmagomedov was treated this way and whether religious or racial profiling played a role in his treatment.”
Awad added that, “Given how often incidents of racial and religious profiling occur on airlines, especially against travelers who are noticeably Muslim,” the airline should, “publicly release the results of its investigation and take appropriate action to address any misconduct or mistakes by its staff.”
The statement from Awad said, “As an airline passenger, you are entitled to courteous, respectful and non-stigmatizing treatment by airline and security personnel. It is illegal for law enforcement officials to perform any stops, searches, detentions, or removals based solely on your race, religion, national origin, sex, or ethnicity.”
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Video Shows UFC Legend Khabib Nurmagomedov Being Removed From Flight