Pasha Rafiei thought his career as an international sportsman was over when he fled Iran in fear for his life and became one of millions of refugees in Europe. But now he's back in the cage – fighting for the UK, and much loved at his new gym in East London.

When I met 'Pasha', as Rafiei is known, at KO Combat Academy in East London he was smiling and laughing as he coached his students, bubbling with enthusiasm for the sport he loves. 

He was remarkably different from the serious and anxious man I had met three years before at a refugee camp in Greece. He looked a decade younger, flitting between a class of 20 mixed martial arts (MMA) students and showing them how to fall gracefully to avoid injury.  

We first met on the Greek island of Samos in 2019. He was one of many refugees I spoke to, and in some ways his story was typical as he described terrifying and traumatic journeys, appalling and unsanitary conditions. But it soon became apparent that the life he had left in Iran had once been a great one. 

A futile fight

Back at home in Iran, he was known as Mohammad Hadi-Rafiei and had been a successful MMA fighter where he won several medals for his country. He had learned English as he toured internationally representing his country. But his life began to change when he fell foul of the sporting authorities for complaining of financial corruption in 2016.

"I went to the Physical Education organisation and handed in a formal complaint exposing the Martial Arts Federation of corruption," he recalls. "Five days later I received a summons asking me to go to the Iranian cyber-police – they searched me and then let me go. 

"The Physical Education Organisation ignored my statement regarding the corruption. I went to court and made another complaint, but this too was ignored."

In 2016, mixed martial arts was prohibited in Iran. The MMA federation had been running under the Martial Arts federation banner, not as a separate MMA federation. After the complaint, things started to get more difficult for Rafiei. 

When he returned from the European Championships in Denmark representing Iran in 2017, he was banned from teaching and training.

"I was training female students," Rafiei said. "When the Martial Arts Federation representative found it out, I was banned from teaching women because under Sharia law men are not allowed to teach or mix with women."

Women are banned from being MMA athletes in Iran and have no MMA clubs or federations. There are many female MMA Iranian hopefuls who risk harsh punishments inside Iran to pursue their sporting passion. To forge a professional career, Iranian women must have another citizenship and fight for another country. One example is Pannie Kianzad, one of the world's best female MMA fighters, who fights for Sweden. 

With a successful career and reputation in Europe, Rafiei was invited by Denmark to fight and coach in Italy, and by Switzerland to a martial arts seminar. However, his visa applications were being turned down.

By mid-2017 things had continued to deteriorate for Rafiei when he was shot at by two unknown gunmen. When he reported it to the police, nothing was done.

As he says now, "I did not know who was my enemy."

Forced to flee 

Rafiei joined the protests that erupted across Iran in August of 2018. A popular uprising was underway as people protested to reform the regime and the failing economy – but it also exposed deeper divisions.

"Everyone had their own personal reasons for going," Rafiei explains. "I went to demand basic human rights, which don't exist in Iran." 

The protest he joined was on August 2, 2018. He was arrested, along with many others, and held for three days: "I was detained and persecuted. They beat me up."

Just by chance, a friend of Rafiei was at the hospital and when he saw Rafiei's injuries he took a short video on his phone which he later shared with him.

"They only let me go because my head was injured and they thought I would die and they didn't want the responsibility of that," says Rafiei. "I had to sign an undertaking letter stating I would not take part in any more protests."

Subject to threats and physical attacks, Rafiei decided his only option was to give up everything and leave Iran. Others didn't get that chance.

"My friend Navid Afkari was also my training partner," he recalls. "He had participated in demonstrations with me. I didn't know what happened to Navid. Then afterward, I heard he was accused of killing someone and that there was no solid evidence against him to show he's guilty." 

Afkari was charged and convicted of murder and was awaiting execution when Rafiei, fearing a similar fate, took the huge decision to flee: "I left my career and whatever I had behind, and I just left my country."

Afkari claimed his confession was obtained by torture, but his appeal was dismissed. His death sentence led to global protests that included pleas for leniency from the international Olympic Committee, the MMA, the European Commission and global leaders including a Tweet from the sitting President of the U.S. Donald Trump. Despite this, Afkari was executed on September 12, 2020. 

Rafiei remembers receiving the news of his friend's death while waiting for asylum in Greece. 

"I'm still devastated," he admits, "because he was my friend – not just me, all the people really were heartbroken because he was a sportsman, he was innocent and he was young."

The ordeal of Afkari's family continues. His brothers Vahid and Habib were arrested and detained at the same time as Navid, and while Habib was recently released, the family say Vahid remains in solitary confinement.

A long wait for salvation

Samos refugee camp in 2019 was blighted by overcrowding, chaos and despair as asylum seekers waited, frustrated and frightened for months for any communication about their cases. 

Rafiei was suggested to me by a large family of Afghans who gesticulated that a man up the hill could speak English. One of them led me and my producer to a green tent with a tidemark of mud from months of use. 

Rafiei told me he had been waiting for eight months; he was one of thousands of refugees camping outside the official refugee facility as it was over capacity. Security was non-existent and fights often broke out as frustrations boiled over.

"It was a really bad, bad life," he recalls, "because there was the lack of hygiene of people living in the tents, the lack of the medicine." 

At the camp, he showed me the equipment he had collected to help him train in the most difficult of circumstances. He had lashed together three tyres and hung them from a tree.

"This is my boxing bag," he explained sheepishly, aware even then of the absurdity of his circumstances. Now, he shakes his head at the memory. 

"Even in the refugee camp, I tried my best to stay fit. I went running and training. I received an injury in a fight but I never gave up." 

Building a new life

At the end of 2020 Rafiei came to the UK. Despite the pandemic he immediately volunteered at the KO Combat Academy in East London. Here his MMA skills and expertise have made him an instant hit.

The gym's manager Rita Franz soon realised the potential of employing a fighter with Rafiei's skills and abilities.

"He started with the MMA classes," she tells us. "He started from zero. We haven't had them before so what he has been doing in his last year is building up those numbers in the MMA group and has been teaching them from the very first day."

Franz is also very impressed with Rafiei's attitude to his work.

"We love his passion for the sport, his loyalty. It was very clear in the beginning that for him, KO is a family and that he puts his families first."

Alongside his MMA training, Rafiei has helped Ultra Events to raise over £23 million for Cancer Research. As the Head Coach of the London Mixed Martial Arts Group, he enables participants to train to a level where they can compete in a sponsored MMA fight. 

His knowledge and coaching expertise have proved invaluable for the event – as Ultra Events Coordinator Amanda Ritchie observed.

"All of our participants join us to be expertly trained by fantastic coaches such as Pasha, who teach them the basics of MMA over eight weeks," Ritchie says. "There's a lot of training to fit in within that time. So the expert training is fundamental to keep these people safe and to teach them the skills they need to be able to get in the cage in eight weeks' time."

Respect and opportunity for all

Many of London's beginner fighters come through KO Academy and Rafiei is happy to share his expertise but he is also delighted that his new home shares his passion for equality in sport.

"One of the reasons that I was banned from teaching and training in Iran, was because I was teaching female students. But here, everything is different," he smiles.

Many of the fighters at KO are young women, with various reasons for learning MMA skills. 

"I definitely think that martial arts are important, because it really helps with discipline and it's helped me with my confidence overall as a person," explains Anna, a boxer in her early twenties. "I think it's important for women to be able to fight, not just for self-defense reasons, but also with feeling good in your body and knowing what your body can do."

Her sparring partner Zoe agrees. "I love fighting because for me it just keeps me motivated day to day and it shows me that you can do anything you want, if you have the willpower to."

And it's not just female fighters that are encouraged at KO Combat Academy, as gym manager Franz explains.

"The goal of KO is to bring all people together, no matter what age, what gender, what nationality, which preferences they have. So everyone is welcome and everyone is treated the same way at KO and it's a safe place for a lot of people." 

This has been the most uplifting thing for Rafiei, as an MMA coach who has been inspired by the tolerance and acceptance of all shown by the UK people, particularly at KO. 

"They have a session for LGBTQ (people)," he enthuses. "I teach them how to defend themselves and gain confidence. I believe every human being has to be free and safe."

LGBTQ fighter Venus is keen to enthuse about Rafiei, her preferred personal coach at KO.

"I'm really specific with who I train with when it comes to men, you do have to be careful," she says. "But Pasha's just the most loving and embracing person. And I just felt really comfortable to train with him...He's an exceptional fighter and he's a patient teacher, very supportive. As someone who rests in some kind of marginalization, it's really important to have a teacher who sees you as a person."

Back in the ring

It's not just his coaching career that has taken off in the UK. After years in the wilderness, Rafiei is also rebuilding his professional fighting career, but this time he is representing the UK – and on the night of our visit, the team at KO can't wait to see him compete.

"We are really excited to see his career developing here in the UK," says Franz. "We all know how important it is for him to go back in the ring and show his skills and what he is really passionate about. We will all be there to support him and watch him and cheer him on."

For his part, Rafiei is excited about returning to professional support, especially to fight for his new homeland.

"My opponent is a Bulgarian guy who fights for France and I'm fighting for England," he smiles. "Yeah, I'm their representative now."

On April 2, Rafiei beat the "Bulgarian guy" – Antonio Bushev – and is now looking forward to his next challenge in the MMA fighting competition Contenders 32.

"Life is good. I'm safe, at least and they really respect my skills and abilities," reflects Rafiei. "That's fair enough for one sportsman, for one athlete, it's enough."