Former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov once again found himself seated in an airplane’s emergency exit row, just months after a similar situation led to his removal from a commercial flight.
The undefeated MMA legend used this coincidence to poke fun at his previous predicament, directing a humorous message at UFC CEO Dana White on social media.
Khabib Nurmagomedov Revisits Frontier Airlines Dispute With Humor
In January, Nurmagomedov was involved in a controversial incident at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Following a disagreement with the cabin crew, he was escorted off a Frontier Airlines flight.
The dispute reportedly began when a flight attendant questioned whether the Dagestani fighter could assist other passengers in crisis — a standard inquiry for those seated in emergency exit rows. The flight attendant was reportedly unhappy with Nurmagomedov’s answer and wanted him to sit elsewhere, to which the ex-UFC fighter said no.
The situation escalated, resulting in Nurmagomedov’s removal from the aircraft. While no legal consequences followed, the incident generated significant attention across sports media outlets and social platforms. Fans debated the appropriateness of the airline’s actions regarding one of combat sports’ most respected figures, and some even urged the company to be boycotted.
Several months later, in what appears to be an ironic twist of fate, Nurmagomedov shared a photograph on his social media accounts showing himself once again assigned to an emergency exit row seat during a recent flight.
Tagging UFC CEO Dana White in the post, Nurmagomedov wrote, “Why do they always put me in this place, @danawhite?”
Khabib Nurmagomedov Offers to Train Patrice Evra for MMA Debut
Away from airplane antics, Nurmagomedov is making waves in the combat sports world by offering his coaching expertise to former Manchester United and France national football team captain Patrice Evra.
The football legend is preparing for his mixed martial arts debut scheduled for May 23 at PFL Paris in the prestigious Accor Arena.
During a recent video call between the two sporting icons, “The Eagle” invited Evra to train together. “I told you many times to send me your location, and I’m going to find you. Send location, tell me where are you?”
“When I see you, you have to be ready and that’s it. Other things, I’m going to take care of. I’m going to teach you how to smash people,” Nurmagomedov said, referencing his famous catchphrase from his fighting days.
Evra, approaching his MMA debut with serious commitment rather than as a publicity stunt, expressed gratitude for the offer. “I need to train,” the former footballer emphasized. “I need to take it seriously. You know how much respect I have for you, for the sport… That’s why I really need a training session with you.”
Since retiring from competition with a perfect 29-0 record, Nurmagomedov has established himself as an elite MMA coach. He has helped guide the careers of several high-profile fighters, including current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and rising bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov.