UFC fighter accuses failed DWCS hopeful of attacking him in Thailand

UFC middleweight Robert Valentin has accused Namo Fazil of attacking him during an altercation in Thailand in 2023. According to Valentin's account posted on Instagram Stories, one of Fazil's friends threatened to slap him, prompting Valentin to bear-hug and push the man away. Fazil then allegedly emerged from a nearby cafe, jumped on Valentin's back, and attempted to choke him out. Valentin claims he threw Fazil off, breaking a vase in the process, before the cafe owner—Fazil's then-girlfriend's mother—threatened to call police, ending the confrontation.

Valentin's allegations come after Fazil had publicly blamed an assault during his weight cut for affecting his performance at Dana White's Contender Series, where he lost to Kaik Brito by submission in the final round. Fazil had previously claimed he was confronted by 15 Chechens in his hotel room, an incident he attributed to comments he made about Chechnya following his win over Chechen fighter Yakub Sulimanov.

Valentin further accused Fazil of attacking non-fighters unaffiliated with combat sports, sharing a video that allegedly showed Fazil threatening someone with a kitchen knife during a separate incident. Valentin concluded his statement by suggesting that Fazil's trash-talking and aggressive behavior outside the cage carry consequences, posting: "Being loud, talking all that trash might sell some seats, might get you recognized, but the internet never forgets, my friend."