Khabib Nurmagomedov has sparked mixed reactions online after refusing to shake the hands of female television reporters over the weekend.
“The Eagle” was a special guest on the CBS Sports Post Show Panel following the Saturday night Champions League final in Munich, Germany. While there, Nurmagomedov joined football greats Thierry Henry, Jamie Carrager and Mika Richards.
After waving all his hands, including the hands of social media star Ishowspeed, Nurmagomedov significantly snuggled host Kate Scott after reaching out to make an acquaintance of the former UFC star.
Nurmagomedov realized he was not going to extend the same courtesy to her, so she quickly pulled back and apologized.
“How are you? There are so many legends here,” Nurmagomedov said.
UFC fans absolutely blocked khabib nurmagomedov and his “misexual ideal”
Scott was praised for handling the situation, but Nurmagomedov was criticised on social media by a sea of UFC fans. As a Hall of Fame Muslim, some have tried to defend the Hall of Fame, pointing out that his religious beliefs prohibit contact with women who are not associated with him.
Of course, it opened a completely different can of worms in the comments.
“I’d walked away!” wrote one user.
“We are supposed to respect their culture when we are in their country and when they are in ours,” another added. “It’s not respect, it’s obedient.”
“There is no handshake, but there is never a protest against rape,” the third person said.
“We should stop tempering this stone age cult.”
“I am quickly coming to the end of patience with religion-based inequality.”
“If they want to maintain their misogynistic ideals, they should not be allowed to enter the West.”