Martial arts champion released on bail

Moscow City Court on Monday ruled to release on bail Rasul Mirzayev, the world champion in mixed martial arts, who earlier confessed to killing a student. Mirzayev, 25, who hails from Russia’s North Caucasus re[pubic of Dagestan, is accused of killing student Ivan Agafonov, 19, on August 13 outside a nightclub in downtown Moscow. Agafonov’s friends say that the argument started with innocent prank - Agafonov was playing with a toy car, walked up to Mirzayev’s girlfriend, Alla, and offered her a ride as a joke. Mirzayev, however, said Agafonov insulted Alla. The world champion hit Agafonov backhand across the cheek-bone after which the young man fell down and struck his head against a metal drain cover. He was taken to hospital and died without regaining consciousness four days later. Mirzayev, who apologized to Agafonov’s relatives in court, was released on a 5 million ruble ($171,900) bail.