Michael Chandler criticized Frontier Airlines for removing Khabib Nurmagomedov from an exit row seat over a language dispute, arguing that his English proficiency and physical capabilities made him well-suited for the role, while others, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, condemned the airline’s actions and called for an investigation into potential profiling.
Michael Chandler spent years chasing a fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Now, he’s defending the former UFC lightweight champ after Khabib was booted from a flight. Why? A dispute over him sitting in an exit row.
The drama kicked off when a video surfaced. It showed a flight attendant arguing with Nurmagomedov about his English-speaking skills while seated in the exit row. Despite Khabib’s assurance, “I know the language… I know how to help people,” the attendant insisted he move. The airline was “not comfortable” with him there.
Chandler took to social media, slamming Frontier Airlines for their treatment of Nurmagomedov, especially due to a perceived language barrier. “Can you imagine,” Chandler tweeted, “an emergency happens on your plane and you’d prefer a ‘perfect’ speaking human instead of one of the greatest athletes of all time because you’re ‘uncomfortable’ with his ability to speak English (which is very good, btw) – this is bizarre.”
He didn’t stop there. Chandler pointed out that not only was Khabib likely the most physically capable person on the plane but also questioned the airline’s qualifications for sitting in an exit row. “Pretty sure the only qualification is being able to say ‘yes,'” he added.
After the incident blew up, Nurmagomedov released a statement too. He said, “I did my best to stay calm and respectful as you can see on the video.” He suggested that crew members could be nicer next time.
Frontier Airlines? Silent so far. They’ve not publicly addressed what happened.
Chandler went further, criticizing current exit row seat qualifications. He argued that passengers should pass physical and mental fitness tests rather than just saying “yes.” Chandler remarked, “I’ve seen some slugs in the exit row on flights.”
The video sparked outrage beyond Chandler’s tweets. The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the airline’s actions and called for an investigation. They questioned if religious or racial profiling played a role in Khabib’s treatment.
And there you have it—another day, another controversy in the world of MMA and beyond.