Ex-UFC star killed: What happened to Suman Mokhtarian? Former UFC star killed in Sydney

Suman Mokhtarian is an Australian-born MMA fighter who made his bones in the regional scene before making it to 'The Ultimate Fighter 27' as a featherweight contender. Despite losing to Ricky Steele in the opening round, he was offered a UFC contract and fought twice in the promotion.

Mokhtarian lost his UFC debut via first-round knockout to Sodiq Yusuff in December 2018 and got outpointed by Seung Woo Choi in his second promotional outing in December 2019. He stopped competing professionally after that and focused on coaching fighters at the Australian Top Team gym in Sydney.

What happened to Suman Mokhtarian?

Suman Mokhtarian was shot dead by a gunman in the Riverstone district of Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), while he was on a walk earlier this week. The 33-year-old suffered fatal wounds to his upper torso in the suspected targeted attack.

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According to the Daily Telegraph, authorities also found a vehicle set ablaze near the crime scene. However, there's no official confirmation on whether the two incidents are connected. Intriguingly, this wasn't the first time Mokhtarian was targeted.

Last February, a gunman disguised as a food delivery executive allegedly tried to shoot the ex-UFC fighter at close range outside the Australian Top Team gym in Sydney. Per MMA Junkie, the NSW police also forced the cancellation of a regional MMA promotion's inaugural event due to fears of a potential gang-related attack. Several fighters coached by Mokhtarian were set to compete at the event.

One of Mokhtarian's students, Jesse Swain, posted a heartfelt tribute to his coach via an Instagram post. He wrote:

"Haven’t been able to sleep tonight after hearing the news, so decided to post this now. Firstly, I want to say Suman believed in me more than I believed in myself. I owe all I’ve done in MMA to him. Anyone who knew him personally knows how passionate and invigorating he was, and he expected nothing but the best from you. He pushed me to heights I never thought I’d get to when starting out, he stopped me from quitting in late 2024, right before he got me the professional opportunities, and he personally told me my potential in the game. I’ll make sure to fulfill that potential for him. RIP Suman."

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Edited by Nishant Zende.