Shovkhal Churchaev was seen clashing with fellow fighter Mohammad Heibati in Moscow
Russian MMA fighter Shovkhal ‘Borz’ Churchaev is reportedly under investigation by police after being accused of a vicious attack on Iranian rival Mohammad Heibati in Moscow, allegedly drawing a gun and telling Heibati to kneel.
The incident is said to have occurred when the couple recorded a podcast in the Russian capital over the weekend. The footage allegedly shows Churchaev lunging at his rival, who is sitting next to him, before he appears to pull out a gun and tell the Iranian to kneel. The Mash Telegram channel claims that police are investigating the scenes and that Churchaev could face up to two years in prison for assault and death threats.
According to Heibati, known as the ‘Persian Dagestani’ or the ‘Persian Lion’, he has been harassed by Churachev for several months.
That included an alleged visit to his home in March, where Churachev and his associates allegedly left the message. “we saw your wife” after discovering that the fighter was not in the residence. Heibati also said that he had discussed the recent scenes with the Iranian embassy and officials were monitoring the case. Heibati is listed with a 4-1 professional record in MMA, fighting all of his fights under the banner of Russian promotions.
Churachev’s record varies depending on the MMA outlet consulted, although Sherdog lists him as 3-0 as a pro, with his last fight under the Hardcore FC banner in January.