Former UFC Fighter Suman Mokhtarian Killed in Sydney

Former UFC fighter and mixed martial arts coach Suman Mokhtarian (8-2) was shot dead on the evening of Wednesday, October 8, in Western Sydney. Police are treating the incident as a targeted killing.

The shooting occurred around 6:00 p.m. on Annaluke Street in the suburb of Riverstone. According to law enforcement, the 33-year-old athlete was out for a walk when he was gunned down. Responding officers and paramedics found Mokhtarian with gunshot wounds, but he could not be saved — he died at the scene.

About 15 minutes after the shooting, a burnt-out car was found on Riverstone Road. Police believe the vehicle may be linked to the crime. Several forensic zones have been established in and around the area.

A New South Wales Police sergeant stated that the investigation is ongoing and that all possibilities are being explored, including potential ties to organized crime.

Mokhtarian, an Australian of Iranian descent, competed in the UFC from 2018 to 2019 before transitioning to coaching. Together with his brother Ashkan, he ran the Australian Top Team, helping young Australian fighters begin their careers in MMA.

One of his students, fighter Jesse Suain, posted an emotional tribute on Instagram:

“I couldn’t sleep after hearing this news. Suman believed in me more than I believed in myself. Everything I’ve achieved in MMA, I owe to him. He inspired us, pushed us to be better, and never let us give up. I’ll keep going forward for him.”

This was not the first attempt on Mokhtarian’s life. In February 2024, a gunman disguised as a delivery driver tried to shoot him outside the Australian Top Team gym in Wentworthville, but Mokhtarian miraculously survived.