Suman Mokhtarian, a two-time UFC competitor and Ultimate Fighter 27 cast member, has died in Sydney, Australia, following an alleged gangland shooting.
The Sydney Morning Herald initially reported that a man in the Riverstone neighborhood was treated for gunshot wounds by paramedics Wednesday evening local time. The man died at the scene. In a later update, following spread of the news on social media, the Herald confirmed Mokhtarian was the victim of the shooting.
“It’s very brazen, and it’s a shame that this is happening in our community,” Riverstone police superintendent Jason Joyce said, per the Herald. “You’d want to think that in a residential area that people could wander the streets at that time of night and be safe, but we do believe it’s a targeted attack.
“My heart goes out to the family of this victim, and certainly any of the people that witnessed it, [it] would have been a horrific thing to witness, and it’s certainly not something we tolerate in the community.”
Police are also investigating a series of car fires in the area that may be linked to the shooting incident, with one witness telling the Herald a male suspect might have shot out of a red Audi.
Mokhtarian, 33, was a well-known figure in the Australian MMA scene. In addition to his competitive career, Mokhtarian served as a coach for several fighters at the Australian Top Team gym and the promoter of the Urban Fight Night organization, based out of Sydney. Following a brief stint on TUF 27, Mokhtarian fought twice as a featherweight in the UFC, losing to Seung Woo Choi and Sodiq Yusuff, with the latter marking his final bout in 2019.
In April 2024, ESPN reported Mokhtarian was allegedly the target of an assassination attempt. The situation was so serious that New South Wales police stepped in to cancel an event Mokhtarian was scheduled to coach at.
Mokhtarian’s brother Ashkan, who also went 0-2 in the UFC, was previously arrested on drug supply charges in 2023.
Fighters and friends of Mokhtarian took to social media to mourn his passing.
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