MMA News Roundup: New UFC signee allegedly in mall altercation, Andrew Tate's lawyer gives statement on arrest, Khabib freaks out during mega event

Welcome to today's edition of Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup, where we present the biggest UFC updates and other stories from the world of mixed martial arts.

As the new year rings in, the MMA universe is preparing for another 365 days of excitement-filled octagon action. Today, we talk about the new UFC signee's past shenanigans, Andrew Tate's lawyer's statement on the recent arrest, and more.

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#3. Viral video claims new UFC signee was involved in a mall altercation

Ever since the news of Dagestani fighter Sharaputdin Magomedov signing with the UFC was announced, a viral video has been making the rounds on social media. In the video, a man, allegedly Magomedov himself, is seen getting into a fight over a public display of affection.

In the short clip, Magomedov confronts a man who shares a brief kiss with his female partner on the escalator. Once they reach the ground, the two men are initially seen exchanging words before a full-blown fight breaks out between them. Onlookers split them apart, but the MMA fighter was not done with the man who offended him so.

More video footage suggests Magomedov was waiting for the man at the exit. Once the man stepped outside, Magomedov punched him out cold and stomped on his face as he lay on the ground.

Watch the full video below:

The incident took place in June 2022, six months before Magomedov signed with the UFC. He is also being represented by MMA management mogul, Ali Abdelaziz.

Russian outlet Prosports.kz reported on the matter, stating that the two men may have been charged with public order violations and that the Dagestani authorities were looking into it.

Public display of affection is not legally forbidden in Russia.

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#2. Andrew Tate's lawyer opens up on recent arrest

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate were arrested last week on the basis of alleged rape and human trafficking accusations, which they deny. Authorities in Romania, where the Tate brothers were currently staying, suspect that Andrew and Tristan are running an organized crime ring.

There are rumors that Andrew Tate's attempt to send a savage reply to Greta Thunberg in the wake of their Twitter exchange is what led to his arrest.

Tate's attorney, Eugen Constantin Vidineac, took a cautious stance when asked about the status of the legal case outside the courthouse. He was quite hush-hush about the subject but revealed that guilt or innocence is not yet proven and "preventive measures" are being taken.

Take a look at his comments below:

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#1. Khabib Nurmagomedov was 'freaked out' at Bellator x RIZIN event

Scott Coker is a veteran in promoting MMA events, but Khabib Nurmagomedov is relatively new to the scene. He was spotted chatting with the Bellator president during the massive cross-over event with RIZIN, after which Coker was asked about their conversation at the press conference.

Coker revealed that the former UFC lightweight champion was shocked at the magnitude of MMA production and fan response in Japan.

Coker said:

"Khabib [had] never seen the production and the fans and he was freaking out... He kept telling me, 'This is unbelievable. I had no idea that, you know, something like this was happening in Japan.' And I said, 'You know, this is where it started, Khabib. This is where, you know, MMA and martial arts combat, it started here and it grew out through the rest of the world but there was a time when Japan had the best fighters in the world, the best production in the world, the best promotion in the world.'... He was really impressed."

You can watch Coker speak about his conversation with Nurmagomedov from the 5:26 mark below:

Sportskeeda wishes you a very happy new year. May 2023 be a great one for all!