The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has canceled Khusein Askhabov’s scheduled bout at UFC Vegas 80 against Daniel Pineda following reports of his arrest in Thailand. Askhabov is facing serious charges of kidnapping, torture, and extortion in connection with an alleged home invasion and robbery in Phuket, Thailand.

The shocking development was first reported by The Phuket News, revealing that Khusein Askhabov and his twin brother were apprehended in connection with an alleged incident on September 3, where they are accused of invading a villa in Phuket and committing a robbery.

In response to these distressing allegations, the UFC swiftly released a statement on its website. The statement reads, “UFC is aware of the recent arrest and allegations regarding Khusein Askhabov. The organization will continue to gather additional details regarding the incident. UFC will allow the legal process to play out before making any additional statements; however, his scheduled fight on October 7 has been canceled.”

The canceled bout has left UFC fans and officials scrambling to find a replacement for Daniel Pineda at UFC Vegas 80, which is scheduled to take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on October 7. As of the time of this writing, it remains unclear who Pineda’s new opponent will be.

Khusein Askhabov, originally from Kazakhstan, had been preparing for his second appearance in the UFC after making his debut at UFC Vegas 69 in February, where he suffered a loss to Jamall Emmers.

The details surrounding Askhabov’s arrest and the alleged incident are deeply troubling. According to The Phuket News report, a warrant was issued on September 4 that identified Khusein and his twin brother, Khasan Askhabov, as two of the three Kazakh nationals accused of committing the home invasion and robbery. The alleged incident reportedly saw the victim robbed of items valued at approximately 12 million Thai baht, equivalent to approximately $337,881 USD. Among the stolen items were three luxury watches, an Apple laptop and phone, the victim’s passport, debit card, and more.

The report further alleges that the victim was subjected to a horrific ordeal, with the assailants surprising him while he slept, binding and gagging him, and subsequently subjecting him to physical violence while demanding information. During the course of several hours, they reportedly assaulted him brutally. An unknown individual, allegedly connected to the attackers, is said to have provided information about the victim’s valuables and conversed with the assailants during the robbery.

After the ordeal, the victim managed to escape and find safety, albeit with bruises and contusions resulting from the sustained beating. Notably, the suspects were reported to have left Phuket for Dubai on September 4, the day following the alleged attack.

As this shocking case unfolds, UFC officials and fans await further developments regarding Khusein Askhabov’s legal situation, and the organization continues to adapt its fight card for UFC Vegas 80 in the wake of these startling events.