Russian fighter Nurmagomedov may be suspended for six months

Russian fighter and UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov may be fined for up to six months and faces a $350,000 fine, his father and coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov told TASS on Sunday.

"We are waiting for the sanctions, I think he will be suspended from fights for between four to six months, preliminarily," Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov said. "His money is frozen, I think he may be fined $350,000. We have our management, lawyers and specialists, when the decision is made, we will consider our steps."

Nurmagomedov defeated Irish MMA fighter Conor McGregor during the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 229 tournament in Las Vegas on October 6, defending his lightweight title. After the fight, a mass brawl broke out between the teams of both fighters, including Nurmagomedov, who jumped out of the cage and attempted to beat up one of the Irish opponent’s team members for insulting him.

UFC President Dana White criticized Nurmagomedov’s behavior, saying that he may be fined and face problems of getting a US visa. At the moment the Nevada Athletic Commission is investigating the incident. Nurmagomedov's $2 million purse has been withheld.

The victory over McGregor was the 11th in Nurmagomedov’s career in the UFC. The Russian defeated his opponents in all of his 27 fights. The 30-year-old Nurmagomedov, hailing from Russia’s North Caucasus Region of Dagestan, was the first Russian to win the UFC champion title during the fight against his US opponent Al Iaquinta this April.