Ex-UFC fighter Khusein Askhabov loses win and gets 12-month ban in Denmark

Former UFC featherweight Khusein Askhabov has had a win taken away and been banned for 12 months. The Danish Mixed Martial Arts Federation (DMMAF) said in an official statement on Monday 26 October that it had overturned his result against Reinaldo Ekson Oliveira at Airtox Dominance FC 8 in Copenhagen on 17 October, and declared Ekson the winner by disqualification. Sherdog first reported the decision.

What happened in the cage

According to the federation, the referee stopped the action for a suspected eye poke. During that timeout, Askhabov became aggressive and tried to go after his opponent even as the referee stepped in, and the referee had to hold him back physically. Members of his corner then tried to get into the cage, and event security had to step in.

The bout was waved off and, at the time, Askhabov was announced as the winner by technical knockout.

The ruling

After reviewing the footage, the DMMAF Board found his conduct during the timeout was "a serious violation of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts" that warranted disqualification, whatever the circumstances of the original stoppage. It decided:

1. Result: the TKO win for Askhabov becomes a disqualification win for Reinaldo Ekson Oliveira.
2. Ban: a 12-month suspension for Askhabov and his corner team from every DMMAF-sanctioned event and activity, in any role, whether as fighter, coach or cornerman.

The federation also admitted that the original decision on the night was wrong, said it takes responsibility for correcting it, and promised to tighten its procedures and support officials facing similar situations.

Why it matters

Askhabov is a former UFC fighter, and a disqualification loss now replaces a win on his professional record. The ban rules him and his team out of any card the Danish federation sanctions for a year; the statement covers DMMAF events only and says nothing about other countries.

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