Russian MMA fighter arrested after assaulting scooter driver in Moscow

The victim was later hospitalized with a fractured skull and remains in intensive care. 

An MMA fighter has been arrested after being caught on camera assaulting a man on a scooter in Moscow.

In footage shared by REN TV, Garun Dibirov can be seen attacking the victim, who then falls to the ground after being hit with several blows. The assault reportedly occurred after the victim allegedly refused to make way for Dibirov to pass him on a street in Moscow.

According to reports, the victim was left with severe head injuries, including a fractured skull and a concussion. Several eye witnesses came to the victim’s aid, some of whom can been seen in the footage as well. He was later hospitalized and remains in intensive care.

Authorities have since opened a criminal case for grievous bodily harm and hooliganism. If found guilty, Dibirov could face several years in prison.

Dibirov is a welterweight fighter with a 2-2 professional record who currently works as a self-defence coach. He won the Moscow Grappling Championships in 2013 and does not appear to have competed since. His resume includes a submission loss to Magomed Magomedov, a former UFC fighter and current Bellator signee who was also one of former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov’s training partners.

This is not the first time that a Russian MMA fighter has faced possible jail time for crimes of a serious nature. In 2018, Anar Allakhveranov was sentenced to 18 years after killing a champion power-lifter during a street fight. Later that year, several MMA fighter tied to oligarch Ziyavudin Magomedov’s Summa Group were arrested for attempting to murder fellow fighter Shamil Kuramagomedov. Alexander Emelianenko was handed a 4.5 year jail sentence for sexual assault and kidnapping, while former UFC fighter Dmitriy Sosnovskiy was given eight years for kidnapping and extorting a businessman from Moscow.