Iranian fighter Ali Heibati learned that he is not allowed to put his hands or feet on civilians after he appeared to kick a ring girl before the start of a match on April 19, 2024. Mr. Haverty was banned for life for his actions.
The match, which took place in Moscow, Russia, was scheduled to see Ali Heibati face his opponent Arkady Osipian. However, Haverty displayed an unfathomable act and decided to kick the ring girl (identified only as Maria at the time of writing) before the bell rang. In doing so, the Iranians sealed their fate and earned a lifetime ban from the Hard-Fighting Championship League for the rest of their lives. The scheduled match ended in a farce as Haverty continued to provoke his opponent and opposing trainers even after the referee stopped the fight. Haverty later apologized for his actions on social media, according to reports.
“Hello, everyone. This is for Maria,” the fighter wrote. “I didn't have the right attitude towards her. The reason for that was because there were a lot of fistfights before the MMA fight. I was in the cage and I just wanted to go out and fight.
“I was nervous and, as many of you understand, emotions run high during matches, so I behaved badly towards Maria before the match. I want to apologize. I'm a married man, so I respect women's sexuality. She was at work, and after the fight, I didn't admit my guilt either, because they hit me in the head. Please tell Maria I'm sorry.”
However, this apology did not sit well with HFC officials, and they responded by releasing their own statement on Instagram.
“What happened on today's live broadcast exceeds all moral and ethical standards. No one has the right to touch, much less hit, any of the staff, employees or partners of Hardcore Media. Such behavior is absolutely unacceptable towards women. It is the worst thing a man can do to be lenient towards a woman.
“The League has determined that the apology already made by Ali Haverty is absolutely not sufficient given the current situation. He will be fined and the full amount will be transferred to his ring girl Maria. Additionally, all participants in large backstage brawls will be disqualified and removed from Hardcore Media promotions. At this time, we have identified all names and culprits involved in these unsportsmanlike acts. Respect yourself, respect each other, respect the code of honor and simple moral values. Respect the code of conduct of the civilized society to which you belong.
Haverty, who also works as a kickboxer, is understood to never be welcomed back by HFC, where he incredibly made his MMA debut, ending his mixed martial arts career with an 0-1-0 record. I might have to.
