Michael Chandler slams airline for removing Khabib Nurmagomedov from flight

Michael Chandler spent years chasing a possible battle in opposition to Khabib Nurmagomedov, however now he’s defending the previous UFC light-weight champion after he was faraway from a flight over a dispute about him sitting in an exit row.

The controversy began after a video surfaced displaying a flight attending arguing with Nurmagomedov over his potential to talk English whereas sitting within the exit row. Regardless of Nurmagomedov explaining “I do know the language … I understand how to assist individuals” the flight attendant insisted that he transfer seats whereas including that the airline was “not snug with you sitting within the exit row.”

Chandler took to social media to slam the airline — later recognized as Frontier Airways — for mistreating Nurmagomedov, particularly over a perceived language barrier.

“Are you able to think about, an emergency occurs in your airplane and also you would like a ‘excellent’ talking human as an alternative of one of many biggest athletes of all time since you’re ‘uncomfortable’ along with his potential to talk English (which is superb, btw) – that is weird,” Chandler wrote on Twitter.

“Not solely was he probably the most bodily succesful human being on the airplane however I’m fairly positive the one qualification to sitting within the exit row is with the ability to say the phrase ‘sure.’”

After the incident was made public, Nurmagomedov launched his personal assertion addressing the altercation whereas saying “I did my finest to remain calm and respectful as you’ll be able to see on the video, however these crew members may do higher subsequent time and simply be good with shoppers.”

So far, Frontier Airways has not publicly addressed the scenario.

For his half, Chandler took issues one step additional and blasted the present “{qualifications}” required to take a seat in an exit row seat, which states a passenger should have the bodily capabilities to assist different passengers in an emergency, they need to perceive directions and the passenger needs to be an grownup.

“For those who’re going to kick our GOAT off the airplane for a little bit accent, please begin making passengers do a bodily and psychological health aptitude check earlier than you allow them to sit within the exit row after uttering a one phrase, one syllable ‘sure,’” Chandler stated. “As a result of I’ve seen some slugs within the exit row on flights.”

The video sparked loads of outrage past Chandler’s complaints.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a press release of its personal condemning the actions of the airline whereas asking for an investigation and questioned if “non secular or racial profiling performed a task in his remedy.”