MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. Russian MMA fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov has been suspended for nine months due to his participation in a post-fight brawl after the fight for the UFC title against Irishman Conor McGregor, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) informed after reaching the verdict on Tuesday.

UFC Champion Nurmagomedov defeated Ireland’s Conor McGregor during the UFC 229 tournament in Las Vegas on the night of October 6, 2018, defending his lightweight title with a choke in the 4th round of the fight. After the fight, Nurmagomedov incited a mass brawl.

The Russian fighter will have to pay a $500,000 fine as well. The suspension is retroactive, starting from October 10, 2018. It is reported that the suspension period may be knocked down to six months, if the Russian agrees to release a public service announcement, in which he denounces violence and bullying.

Russian fighters Zubaira Tukhugov and Abubakar Nurmagomedov, who also participated in the post-fight brawl, both received one-year suspensions and have to pay a $25,000 fine each.

On April 8, 2018, Khalib Nurmagomedov defeated his US opponent Al Iaquinta in a five-round fight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight belt in New York. The Russian defeated his opponents in all of his 27 fights.