A Chechen MMA fighter is being investigated after allegedly threatening his rival with a gun during a podcast recording.
The incident reportedly took place on August 21, when Shovkhal Churchaev appeared on the set of the “Rating Brothers” podcast in Moscow, Russia, alongside his Iranian opponent Mohammad Hebati.
Though the conversation remained civil for the vast majority of the interview, Churchaev closed out the show by attacking Hebati with a flurry of punches that forced the Iranian fighter to the ground. The Chechen fighter then proceeded to pull a gun and demanded that Hebati kneel before him.
Footage from the attack was later published on the podcast’s YouTube channel.
Following the incident, Hebati revealed that the Iranian embassy in Russia had been notified of the situation and were in the process of resolving the matter.
“The Iranian ambassador contacted me and invited me to his place,” Hebati said. “We talked to him, I told him what happened. Now the Iranian ambassador wants to resolve this issue. A person is threatened with a gun, this is no longer a trash talk.”
Churchaev, who holds a 3-0 pro record, also drew the ire of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov, who vowed to punish the Chechen fighter for his “inappropriate behavior.”
The Chechen fighter could also face up to two years in prison if law enforcement choose to file charges.
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