MMA fighter handed lifetime ban over disgraceful attack on ring girl

An MMA fighter has been handed a lifetime ban from competing after lashing out and attacking a ring girl moments before a fight.

MMA fighter Ali Heibati has been handed a lifetime ban after attacking a ring girl ahead of a fight.

The Iranian was competing in the Hard Fighting Championship promotion when the incident unfolded, The Sun reports.

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On Friday he took on Arkady Osipyan in Moscow as part of the Hardcore MMA tournament.

Just moments before the bout was about to begin, a ring girl named Maria entered the cage to signal that the first round was commencing.

As she turned her back on him to leave the cage, Heibati bafflingly kicked out at her.

She then turned to confront Heibati, who was then reprimanded by the referee.

When the fight eventually got underway, Osipyan made light work of his clearly agitated opponent.

The Russian knocked Heibati out with little more than 30 seconds remaining in the first round after landing a series of strikes on the ground.

Osipyan walked away towards his team following his win, only to then be attacked by Heibati, who landed a series of cheap shots from behind before being dragged away.

Bafflingly Heibati was allowed to stay in the cage at this point, as the result was formally announced.

After putting his glasses on the beaten fighter took to the microphone, clearly still furious.

He then launched a high kick out towards a commentator, as he once again let his blind rage get the better of him.

After the bout, Heibati took to social media to apologise to the ring girl.

“Hello everyone. This is for Maria. I didn’t act right with her,” he wrote.

“The reason was that before the MMA fight there were a lot of fistfights. I stayed there in the cage and I just wanted to go out and fight.

Ring girl Maria doing her job

Ali lashes out before the fight

“I was tense and, as most understand, emotions flourish in the fight, so before the fight I acted badly towards Maria.

“I want to publicly apologise to her. I am a married man, so I respect the female gender.

“She was doing her job and I, after the fight, didn’t admit my guilt either, because they also hit me on the head. Tell Maria that I am sorry.”

His apology was not enough to keep his job, however, with the Hard Fighting Championship slapping him with a lifetime ban.

Heibati has previously fought in boxing and kickboxing. As per Tapology, this was his first professional MMA bout.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as MMA fighter handed lifetime ban over disgraceful attack on ring girl