Alaska Airlines is getting called out on social media after a clip surfaced showing a famous UFC fighter get into a dispute on-board until he was escorted off his flight. The video shows Russian hall of fame athlete Khabib Nurmgomedov debating airline staff in the U.S. while he was sitting in the exit row on the plane.

The video of the incident, which reportedly took place at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Saturday, shows an employee telling the 36-year-old mixed martial artist he either has to switch seats or get off the plane. “They’re not comfortable with you sitting in the exit row,” the worker added.

“It’s not fair,” said Nurmgomedov, who was reportedly flying to Los Angeles, to which the worker replied, “It is fair. Yes, it is.”

Nurmgomedov explained that when he was checking in for the flight, he was asked he if knew English, to which he said he did. The airline worker responded, “I understand that, but it’s also off of their judgement. I’m not going to do this back-and-forth. I will call a supervisor.”

The employee reiterated the athlete could either take a different seat on the plane, or staff could “go ahead and escort” him off the flight. She asked “which one are we doing?” and then replied to Nurmgomedov saying they were going to have to rebook him on a different flight.

Across social media, people have been calling out Alaska Airlines asking why they had him removed from the plane. Many called for others to boycott the airline, and some claimed the staff were profiling Nurmgomedov, who is Muslim.

“Why did you remove Khabib from your plane? His fans need to know! I hope he sues you,” an Instagram user wrote on the airline’s most recent post.

“Are you aware of who Khabib is? His legacy surpasses that of the entire airline,” another chimed in.

“Shame on you, Alaska Airline. We all boycotting them,” a TikTok user added.

“What is the reason!? Because they don’t feel comfortable he’s sitting by a window?” another questioned.

Neither Nurmgomedov or Alaska Airlines have yet commented on the situation.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – With a storm approaching and high winds in the forecast for a portion of Southcentral Alaska, experts recommend preparing for potential power outages and taking safety precautions.

Experts with the State of Alaska, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management recommended taking the initiative early in case of power outages due to strong weather.

Julie Hasquet with Chugach Electric in Anchorage said Saturday the utility company has 24/7 operators in case of outages.

“We watch the weather forecast, and absolutely, if there are power outages, we will send crews out into the field to respond,” Hasquet said.

She echoed others, saying it’s best to prepare prior to a storm and not need supplies rather than the other way around.

“With the winds that are forecast for tonight and perhaps into Sunday, people should just be ready that it could be some challenging times, and to be aware and cautious and kind of have your radar up,” Hasquet said.

For the latest weather updates and alerts, download the Alaska’s Weather Source app.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – More than 100 music professionals and music makers from Anchorage and across the state signed up to visit ‘The Nave’ in Spenard on Saturday for the annual Alaska Music Summit.

Organized by MusicAlaska and the Alaska Independent Musicians Initiative, the event began at 10 a.m. and invited anyone with interest or involvement in the music industry.

“The musicians did the work, right,” Marian Call, MusicAlaska program director said. “The DJ’s who are getting people out, the music teachers working at home who have tons of students a week for $80 an hour, that is real activity, real economic activity and real cultural activity that makes Alaska what it is.”

Many of the attendees on Saturday were not just musicians but venue owners, audio engineers, promoters and more, hence why organizers prefer to use the term “music makers.”

The theme for the summit was “Level Up Together” a focus on upgrading professionalism within the musicmaking space. Topics included things like studio production, promotion, stagecraft, music education policy.

“We’re kind of invisible if we don’t stand up for ourselves and say, ‘Hey, we’re doing amazing stuff,‘” Call said.

On Sunday, participants in the summit will be holding “office hours” at the Organic Oasis in Spenard. It is a time for music professionals to network, ask questions and share ideas on music and music making.

“You could add us to the list of Alaskan cultural pride,” Call said. “You could add us to your conception of being Alaskan. That being Alaskan means you wear Carhartts, and you have the great earrings by the local artisan, and you know how to do the hand geography and also you listen to Alaskan music proudly.”

The event runs through Sunday and will also be hosted in February in Juneau and Fairbanks.

See a spelling or grammar error? Report it to web@ktuu.com

Copyright 2025 KTUU. All rights reserved.