ONE Championship: Mehdi Zatout protests six-month ban after Jonathan Haggerty altercation

Venum Training Camp gym owner was barred from attending all events after Alaverdi Ramazanov confronted Haggerty in ring at ONE Fight Night 16

‘I didn’t do anything. I don’t understand why I’m involved in this. He’s my fighter but he’s also an adult. I’m not responsible for his actions,’ Zatout says

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Alaverdi Ramazanov confronts Jonathan Haggerty is the ring at ONE Fight Night 16 after the main event. Photos: ONE Championship

Published: 10:34pm, 8 Nov 2023Updated: 12:27am, 9 Nov 2023

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The gym owner and coach banned by ONE Championship boss Chatri Sityodtong for six months has protested his innocence.

Venum Training Camp chief Mehdi Zatout was barred from attending the promotion’s events after his fighter Alaverdi Ramazanov confronted Jonathan Haggerty in the ring following last Saturday’s ONE Fight Night 16 main event.

The segment was unplanned and drew the ire of chairman and CEO Chatri, who said that Zatout and Ramazanov had “breached security” and “jeopardised the safety of everyone in the stadium” to stage their dramatic confrontation.

Zatout’s ban is a big blow to his Pattaya-based gym, whose fighters regularly compete on the weekly ONE Friday Fights cards at Lumpinee Stadium, as well as the martial arts promotion’s monthly events on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service.