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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
The UFC has canceled a featherweight bout between Khusein Askhabov and Daniel Pineda next month, following the arrest of Askhabov related to an alleged kidnapping and robbery in Thailand.
The promotion told ESPN of its decision to cancel the bout on Monday, shortly after reports began to surface of Askhabov’s arrest. Askhabov’s management team declined to comment on the matter.
“UFC is aware of the recent arrest and allegations regarding Khusein Askhabov,” the UFC said in a statement. “The organization will continue to gather additional details regarding the incident. UFC will allow the legal process to play out before making any additional statements, however, his scheduled fight on October 7 has been canceled.”
Askhabov (23-1), of Chechnya, made his UFC debut earlier this year, when he suffered a decision loss to Jamall Emmers. He withdrew from two other scheduled fights this summer for various reasons.
The Phuket News reported that Askhabov and his twin brother, Khasan, were arrested Sept. 5 in connection to an ongoing investigation involving the robbery of an Italian man in Thailand.
According to a police report cited by The Phuket News, the man said he was robbed of multiple items, including a Rolex watch, Patek Philippe ‘Nautilus’ watch, GRAFF watch, a MacBook, iPhones, sunglasses and approximately $43,000 in cash.
The Phuket News, citing a source, reported the alleged incident took place Sept. 3, when three men — none of whom were the Askhabov brothers — entered the victim’s villa and blindfolded, gagged and bound him. The report states the victim met the Askhabov brothers in Thailand one year ago and that “they had become acquaintances over the past year.”
Askhabov was born in Grozny, Chechnya, but trains out of Thailand.