The Chechen fighter and Abubakar Nurmagomedov had to be separated in Abu Dhabi
Khamzat Chimaev (black cap, right) scuffled with Abubakar Nurmagomedov (left) as tensions boiled over. © Twitter / Nevermind the backfist
Tempers flared on the sidelines of UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi as Chechen sensation Khamzat Chimaev brawled with fellow fighter Abubakar Nurmagomedov – who is the cousin of MMA icon Khabib.
Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov were cageside at the Etihad Arena as Islam Makhachev won the UFC lightweight title on Saturday night with a second-round victory over Charles Oliveira.
Makhachev’s success sparked jubilant scenes among his team inside the octagon, including Khabib.
Team member Abubakar Nurmagomedov was watching on from close to the cage, having competed earlier on the card when he earned a decision win over fellow Russian Gadzhi Omargadzhiev.
Chimaev, who was in attendance in Abu Dhabi purely as a spectator, was seen clasping hands with Nurmagomedov as the pair were deep in discussion following the end of the main event.
The exchange initially seemed cordial, but rapidly turned nasty as Chimaev, wearing a black cap, appeared to lash out at Nurmagomedov, who responded in kind.
A scuffle ensued as security staff stepped in to diffuse the tensions, while Khabib was seen climbing onto the side of the cage but did not directly intervene.
It was not immediately clear what sparked the row, although Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov exchanged words in an online feud in 2021.
On that occasion, the Dagestani appeared to warn Chimaev after taking offense at comments the Chechen had made about Khabib.
Asked about the scenes at UFC 280, promotion president Dana White later told the media “it happens, especially with him,” in reference to Chimaev.
Chimaev has emerged as one of the UFC’s biggest stars in recent years.
The 28-year-old exploded onto the scene in the summer of 2020 and is unbeaten on six visits to the UFC octagon – most recently destroying Kevin Holland in the first round of their catchweight bout at UFC 279 in September.
That fight was preceded by a weight-cut miss by Chimaev for his originally-planned contest against Nate Diaz, and also saw ‘Borz’ get involved in a backstage brawl during fight week.
Khabib was recently heard at an event in London suggesting that Chimaev should have more Muslim members of his team to prevent him from going astray.
Chimaev is based in Sweden after emigrating as a teenager, but often posts pictures alongside Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on his trips back to his homeland.
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Dagestani welterweight Abubakar Nurmagomedov, 32, holds a 2-1 record since joining the UFC ranks.
He is a member of a close-knit team containing the likes of Khabib and newly-crowned UFC lightweight champion Makhachev.
Abubakar was among those involved in the infamous mass melee which broke out when Khabib defended the UFC lightweight title against Conor McGregor in Las Vegas in 2018, later sharing the injuries he’d sustained in that brawl.
