Former UFC fighter and MMA coach Suman Mokhtarian was shot and killed on Wednesday in Sydney, Australia. He was 33 years old.
The incident occurred at around 6 p.m. local time in the residential suburb of Riverstone. Police are treating it as a targeted attack. Shortly after the shooting, two vehicles believed to be involved were found burned out at separate locations.
The attack took place as residents, including young children, were outside. Footage obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation shows a child in a driveway as gunshots are audible before the suspected gunman’s car sped past.
One witness, Natalie, told the ABC she saw the event unfold. “I called the police straight away, [ran] over and checked to see if he was alive, he clearly wasn’t,” she said.
Speaking to the ABC on Thursday, Police Superintendent Jason Joyce confirmed he believed the burned vehicles were involved in the attack.
Police are investigating whether the attack was gangland-related and are exploring a number of lines of inquiry. Officers established three crime scenes and were seen collecting evidence, including bullet casings.
The shooting follows a previous alleged assassination attempt on Mokhtarian in February 2024. In that incident, a gunman disguised as a food delivery rider reportedly opened fire on him outside the gym he co-owned in Wentworthville.
Mokhtarian earned a UFC contract after appearing on The Ultimate Fighter in 2018, competing twice for the promotion at featherweight, losing to Sodiq Yusuff in 2018 and Seung Woo Choi in 2019. He finished his fighting career with a professional record of 8-2 before becoming a coach.
Mokhtarian ran the Australian Top Team gym alongside his brother, Ashkan.
“My heart goes out to not only the family of the victim, but also the people who had to witness it,” Superintendent Joyce stated.
At the time of writing, no arrests have yet been made in connection with the shooting.
