Namo Fazil is not disputing the punch that ended his UFC opportunity. He does contend that he entered the fight under circumstances that left him operating at less than full capacity.
Fazil suffered a third-round knockout loss to Kaik Brito in the welterweight main event of Dana White’s Contender Series on August 18 at Meta APEX in Las Vegas. Brito landed a decisive right hand only 12 seconds into the final round, producing one of the most dramatic finishes of the season and securing a UFC contract.
One day later, Fazil provided additional context for his performance. In a social media statement, Fazil claimed that approximately 15 men confronted him at the fighter hotel while he was cutting weight the day before the event. Fazil, who represents Kurdistan, identified the group as Chechen and said one person entered the confrontation and slapped him twice.
According to Fazil, his coaches intervened and prevented the situation from escalating because he was scheduled to compete the following evening. He also claimed that police eventually arrived following a disturbance in the hotel lobby. No independent account has established the full sequence described by Fazil, and the identities of everyone allegedly present have not been confirmed.
Fazil did not claim that he suffered a significant physical injury during the confrontation. He said the combination of the weight cut, attempted altercation and resulting commotion nevertheless affected him mentally and physically before the most important fight of his career.
I wasn’t myself,” Fazil said.
UFC CEO Dana White had already indicated that something unusual occurred before the event. During the Contender Series post-fight press conference, White referenced unspecified trouble at the fighter hotel but declined to explain what had happened.
White’s remarks offered limited corroboration that a fight-week issue occurred, but they did not confirm Fazil’s description of the confrontation or the number of people involved.
UFC middleweight Baisangur Susurkaev has been linked to the alleged incident through subsequent reporting and social-media activity. Susurkaev, a teammate of former UFC champion Khamzat Chimaev, posted messages that appeared to reference his dispute with Fazil and argued that public insults carry consequences.
Those posts do not independently prove Fazil’s complete account or establish the precise extent of Susurkaev’s alleged involvement.
Chimaev later addressed the controversy on Instagram, criticizing what reportedly occurred while urging both sides not to allow an individual dispute to create wider hostility between Chechens and Kurds.
Chimaev said disagreements between two men should be resolved between those individuals rather than amplified into conflict between communities. He added that he was unhappy with the reported incident and expressed respect for Kurdish people.
Assalamu Alaykum my brothers, I just want to say that if something happens between two men, they need to sort things out between them self with out letting media make fitna between nations. We all are brothers. Chechens and Kurds we are Muslims and we should stay united. I’m not happy with the things that happened. I respect strong Kurdish people. When someone speaks bad then he should know there always will be consequences. Salahuddin Ayyubi was one of the greatest warriors there ever been in this world, because of the respect for him I named my brothers son Salahuddin,” Chimaev wrote.
The situation appears to have developed from an existing dispute involving Fazil and UFC welterweight Islam Dulatov. Fazil had previously called for a fight with Dulatov, another fighter connected to the same training circle, and the exchanges became increasingly personal before Contender Series fight week.
Brito’s victory remains unaffected by the developing controversy. The Brazilian survived Fazil’s pressure through the opening two rounds before producing the knockout that earned him a place on the UFC roster. Fazil, meanwhile, left Las Vegas without a contract and with the second loss of his professional career.
As of this writing, the UFC has not publicly detailed what occurred at the hotel or announced disciplinary action against Susurkaev or anyone else allegedly involved. The result inside the cage is settled; the circumstances surrounding Fazil’s preparation remain a collection of claims that have yet to be independently resolved.
