MOSCOW, October 1 - RAPSI. The Zamoskvoretsky District Court has postponed until October 4 its hearing of mixed martial artist Rasul Mirzayev's case, as it was returned to the court with no expert examination results attached, the aggrieved party's attorney Oksana Mikhalkina told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com).
"I received a call from the court. They said the hearing has been rescheduled for October 4 at 10:30 a.m.," she said. Earlier, the court declared a recess until October 17 to receive the fifth forensic opinion prepared by the Health Ministry.
Mirzayev is accused of killing student Ivan Aganfonov during a brawl outside a Moscow nightclub.
Prior to his arrest, Mirzayev had been widely regarded as a promising MMA fighter. He was undefeated in the ring and two of his five victories were won with knockout punches. On August 16, 2011, between the incident and his arrest, Mirzayev made headlines throughout the MMA world for signing a professional multi-fight contract with sponsor Bellator Fighting Championships.
Mirzayev was initially charged with intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, resulting in Agafonov's death. During their fight outside the nightclub, Agafonov received a blow to the head and collapsed. He died in a hospital several days later without regaining consciousness.
The defense has insisted on reclassifying the charges against the martial artist, asserting that Agafonov died as a result of hitting the ground as opposed to directly from the blow. Numerous examinations have been held in the case to determine the power of Mirzayev's punch and its relation to the student's death.
Mirzayev faces up to 15 years in prison.