Ukrainian MMA fighter mobilized right before the main bout of a tournament in Kyiv

The main fight of a mixed martial arts tournament in Kyiv was canceled due to the mobilization of one of the participants.

This was reported by the Ukrainian outlet Strana, citing disappointed spectators.

According to the outlet’s sources, 33-year-old Refat Abdullayev managed to give a brief interview before the event began. However, shortly afterward the referee announced to those present that the fighter “was no longer in Kyiv.”

The tournament organizers, according to attendees, “did everything they could” to keep the bout on the card, but were ultimately forced to cancel it.

Later, Abdullayev himself confirmed that his fight did not take place due to “obstacles that cannot be influenced.” No official information about his call-up for military service has been received, the outlet notes.

Abdullayev competes in the lightweight division under the nickname The Beast. He has fought four times as a professional MMA fighter: he won once by unanimous decision and suffered three defeats. All of the Ukrainian fighter’s bouts took place under the banner of the Full Contact Fighting Championship promotion.