Suman Mokhtarian has competed in the UFC twice. ultimate fighter 27 A cast member was killed in a gangland shooting in Sydney, Australia.
The Sydney Morning Herald initially reported that a man in the Riverstone area was treated by paramedics for gunshot wounds on Wednesday night local time. The man died at the scene. After the news spread on social media, the Herald confirmed in a subsequent update that Mokhtarian was the victim of the shooting.
“It’s very brazen and it’s unfortunate that something like this is happening in our community,” Riverstone Police Superintendent Jason Joyce said, according to the Herald. “While you may want to believe that people are safe wandering the streets at night in residential areas, we believe this is a targeted attack.
“Our hearts go out to the family of this victim and of course to those who witnessed it. (It) would have been a horrific event to witness and it certainly cannot be tolerated in the community.”
Police are also investigating a series of car fires in the area that may be connected to the shootings, and one witness told the Herald that a male suspect may have opened fire from a red Audi.
Mokhtarian, 33, was a well-known figure in the Australian MMA scene. In addition to his competitive career, Mokhtarian coached several fighters at the Australian Top Team gym and was also a promoter for the Sydney-based Urban Fight Night organization. After a short stint tough 27Moktarian fought twice as a featherweight in the UFC, losing to Choi Seung-woo and Sodiq Yousaf, the latter’s last fight being in 2019.
In April 2024, ESPN reported that Mokhtarian was suspected of being the target of an assassination attempt. The situation was so serious that New South Wales Police intervened and canceled the event Mokhtarian was scheduled to coach.
Moktarian’s older brother Ashkan, who is 0-2 in the UFC, was arrested in 2023 on drug supply charges.
Moktarian’s fighters and friends mourned his death on social media.