UFC Veteran's TKO Win Overturned After Serious MMA Rules Violation

The bout took place at Airtox Dominance FC 8 on Oct. 17, where former UFC fighter Khusein Askhabov faced Reinaldo Ekson in the co-main event. Initially ruled a technical knockout for the Chechnya native, the Danish MMA Federation officially overturned the decision to a disqualification on close review.

Khusein Askhabov Faces 12-Month Suspension

The controversy stems from an aggressive timeout incident that nearly turned physical. The referee had stopped the bout after a suspected eye poke. Even with the clock halted, Khusein Askhabov continued acting hostilely towards his opponent, even attempting an attack. The fighter's corner also attempted to barge into the cage, forcing security to intervene.

While the mayhem was originally ignored, the DMMAF corrected its decision on Monday.

“Having reviewed the incident, DMMAF has determined that Askhabov’s actions during the timeout constituted a serious violation of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts and warranted disqualification, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the initial stoppage,” read its official statement.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Combat Sports UK (@combatsports_uk)

Further, the Danish federation has also imposed a 12-month suspension on Askhabov and his team from all DMMAF-sanctioned fights and events. That includes a ban from participation as a corner or coach. 

Reinaldo Ekson Celebrates The Decision As He Details Their Nasty Exchange

While the eye poke finally brought the showdown to an end, Reinaldo Ekson recalls something far worse may have contributed to the fight's premature ending. The Brazilian also suffered an illegal back-of-the-head strike, which left him visibly rattled.

“It affected me a lot and sent a shock through my entire cervical spine all the way down to my leg. I stayed there for four minutes and thought I might not come back, but my corner encouraged me. I ended up returning while still feeling the loss of strength caused by the blow to the back of my head," Ekson explained.

The featherweight was only satisfied after the disqualification was officially pronounced. 

“The federation’s decision was fair. At no point did I want to tarnish my opponent’s reputation or harm him, but justice prevailed. I was wronged by what happened, and thank God the federation made a fair decision," he told MMA Fighting.

In fact, he only recalls leaving the cage after the cage-side doctor assured him of Askhabov's disqualification. While the actual ruling took some time to be reflected, the DMMAF's decision portrays a positive step towards dealing with dubious play and misconduct.