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A former UFC fighter is believed to be the target of an alleged Sydney, Australia gangland assassination plot. This has resulted in the cancelation of an upcoming MMA event in Sydney. It's not immediately known how many sportsbooks were offering or planned to take bets on this event.
Suman Mokhtarian, who fought twice in the UFC for two defeats, was due to act as a coach at the Dark Matter Fighting Championship at Warwick Farm in southwest Sydney on April 19. But NSW Police have since intervened, as first reported by Sydney radio station 2GB Thursday morning and picked up by ESPN.
Authorities believe that Mokhtarian could be the subject of a gangland hit.
Sydney radio station 2GB first reported the news on Thursday morning (Australian Eastern Daylight time), with Dark Matter promoter Andrew Delmas later telling morning host Ben Fordham that he was hopeful of finding a resolution so the event could yet proceed.
"I see their [police] position, but I feel like I'm the meat in the sandwich here," Delmas said.
"It's very difficult, these type of events are extremely difficult to put together ... it takes months of work."
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, NSW Police wrote to Delmas last week revealing they had "come to the conclusion there is a serious risk to public safety should this event take place." Following that, the NSW Combat Sports Authority advised Delmas it would not be issuing a permit for the Dark Matter event to proceed.
Delmas told 2GB that police held concerns for some of the fighters on the card, despite those individuals having previously been vetted by the NSW Combat Sports Authority.
Mokhtarian was the target of a previous alleged assassination attempt outside the Australian Top Team gym in the Sydney suburb of Wentworthwille in February 2024.
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