Sam Brooks
14:53 April 22, 2024, Updated 14:53 April 22, 2024
- MMA fighter banned for life after fight this weekend
- Kicked the ring girl and commentator and attacked the losing opponent.
A star MMA fighter has been sentenced to a lifetime suspension from the Hard Fighting Championship (HFC) after causing a number of controversies during and after a bout over the weekend.
Iranian fighter Ali Heibati took on Arkady Osipian in a hardcore MMA tournament in Moscow on Friday night.
Before the match began, Haverty strangely stepped forward and kicked a ring girl as she passed by holding up a card announcing the start of the opening match.
The woman turned around, visibly taken aback by Haverty's behavior, and approached him, making a noise of disapproval, before the referee intervened to separate them and appear to warn him about Haverty's actions.
The bout was allowed to begin shortly after, but it was a short bout as Osipian won by technical knockout in the first round.
His victory was confirmed when the referee waved his hand and called off the fight, saying Haverty was in no position to defend himself with just over 30 seconds left in the round.
When the referee sent Osipian back to his corner, Haverty got up and started attacking his opponent, taking a few cheap shots with his back turned.
The men were quickly separated and several people tried to separate them in a cage while they awaited formal sentencing.
The drama didn't end there, as both fighters then grabbed the microphone inside the cage.
Mr Haverty appeared to be angry at what was said to him and aimed another kick at the commentator, this time at head height, before exchanging angry words with the man.
After his disgraceful conduct, Haverty was banned for life from HFC.
He is not the first MMA star to lose his job due to outrageous behavior inside the cage, after Brazilian youngster Igor Severino was fired last month for biting an opponent in his UFC debut.
Severino cut off part of fellow Brazilian Andre Lima's arm and was disqualified before losing his job, and later revealed he had received death threats for his actions.
