UFC fighter arrested for alleged sexual assault of a minor, removed from Kansas City card

The UFC had to take a quick call after a lightweight fighter on the UFC Kansas City card was arrested for alleged sexual assault.

Ahmad Hassanzada will not be making his UFC debut in Kansas City next weekend. The 28-year-old lightweight was arrested on Friday in Sacramento on two felony charges related to the alleged sexual assault of a minor.

Booked by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Hassanzada now faces serious legal trouble just days before his scheduled fight against Evan Elder. Court records obtained on X show that he’s charged with one count of committing a lewd act on a child under the age of 14. It also states another report involving a child aged 14 or 15, with the alleged age gap between him and the victim being at least 10 years.

His bail has been set at $400,000. The Afghan fighter, known for his submission-heavy record and aggressive pace, had been riding a wave of momentum after securing a victory in Dana White’s Contender Series last September. That win was supposed to punch his ticket to the big leagues.

The UFC moved swiftly, pulling Hassanzada from the Kansas City card and officially severing ties with the Team Alpha Male athlete. Hassanzada’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 22 in Sacramento.

Check out the X post below:

While the UFC doesn't have a publicly outlined policy on sexual misconduct, the organization has acted swiftly in several cases in the past. In 2023, UFC cut ties with Luis Pena after multiple domestic violence arrests.

As for Hassanzada, the Afghan fighter holds a professional MMA record of 11 wins and 3 losses, with 4 knockouts and 6 submission victories. His recent win on Dana White’s Contender Series was meant to be his gateway into the UFC spotlight. He fell short on his first attempt against Nazim Sadykhov at DWCS, succumbing to a third-round knockout loss.