In a startling turn of events, UFC featherweight Khusein Askhabov has been apprehended in Phuket, Thailand, along with his brother Khasan Askhabov. They face allegations of kidnapping, torture, and extortion involving an Italian citizen.
According to reports, on September 3, three Kazakh individuals forcibly entered an Italian tourist’s villa in Phuket. The victim was allegedly abducted, subjected to robbery, and tortured for an extended period.
The perpetrators later fled the country, taking a flight from Phuket to Dubai, and are currently believed to be residing in Kazakhstan. While the involvement of the Askhabov brothers in the actual crime remains uncertain since they were not present at the scene, they are suspected of orchestrating the entire operation.
The Italian victim claimed to have first encountered the Askhabov brothers a year ago at a beach cafe in Cherng Talay.
Khusein Askhabov embarked on his professional MMA journey in March 2012, amassing an impressive 23-0 record in his career. He earned a spot in the UFC’s featherweight division, known as ‘Nohcho’, and secured 16 finishes out of his 23 victories, including 6 knockouts and 10 submissions.
However, his UFC debut in February 2023 didn’t go as planned, as he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Jamall Emmers. All three judges scored the contest 30-27 in favor of Emmers.
Now, with the recent legal troubles, Khusein Askhabov’s upcoming UFC fight against Daniel Pineda at UFC Fight Night 229 on October 7 in Nevada hangs in the balance. The severity of the accusations against him and his brother may lead to their removal from the fight card.
This unexpected development casts a shadow over Askhabov’s future in the UFC, leaving fans and the MMA community awaiting further updates on the situation.