In the UFC, Khamzat Chimaev regularly makes short work of his opponents. Even against Kevin Holland it’s over after a few minutes. However, there had been chaotic days leading up to the fight, including backstage brawls and missed weight.

The weekend begins in chaos for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Two days before the big event UFC 279 in Las Vegas, a fight broke out between the camps of several fighters in the backstage area around superstar Khamzat Chimaev. A day later, Chimaev clearly missed his fight weight before the main fight against Nate Diaz – the three most important fights were then switched. Despite beating reserve man Kevin Holland, the Chechen has lost favor with fans and the UFC.

Backstage clashes between fighters are almost a desired stylistic device in the UFC to give the event even more hype. Two days before Fight Night things got the better of them. According to UFC boss Dana White, dozens of people from different camps of MMA fighters are said to have been involved. The press conference was canceled without further ado. There will be no sanctions, White explained afterwards. After all, they are fighters.

Chimaev coach Andreas Michael explained what had happened. His fighter and Kevin Holland got into an argument backstage before Chimaev kicked his opponent in the chest. The Diaz crew came with more than 50 people “for whatever reason” and things escalated, Michael said. “But no one was hurt, thank God.”

The greater chaos, however, sparked the Chechen’s weight cut. A day before the fight, Chimaev should have weighed in at 77 kilograms. He then weighed around 3.5 kg more. It was later said that the doctors had prevented the drastic weight loss that many fighters suffer before their duels for medical reasons. Chimaev was “shaken by convulsions” during the exhausting process.

Despite medical intervention, the blame lies primarily with the 28-year-old and his team. As a rule, the weight cut is prepared over the entire week and is designed to ensure that the fighters reach their fighting weight as safely as possible. Opponent Diaz sweated down to the specified 77 kilos, a fight between the two would have meant advantages for Chimaev.

The UFC had to change almost everything. UFC veteran Tony Ferguson moved into the main fight against Diaz, Ferguson’s real opponent Li Jingling took on Daniel Rodriguez at catchweight – i.e. outside the set weight classes. Under the same criterion, the fight between Chimaev and Holland took place.

At the public weigh-in, a purely show event, there were already boos for Chimaev, who gave the stinky finger to the audience. As a result of the events, Chimaev’s entry into the T-Mobile Arena received a mixed reception from the spectators, with boos also dominating when the 28-year-old entered the octagon. In the USA, Chimaev has been an absolute fan favorite due to his dominant performances. In contrast to Europe, his connections to Chechen prince Ramzan Kadyrov are not further questioned there.

Chimaev also started the fight with a dirty trick. At the faceoff there was a shakehand, which is also common at the beginning of the round. When Holland raised his hand to high-five, Chimaev immediately went for a takedown attempt. From then on he had the Americans under control on the ground. After about three minutes, Chimaev ended the fight with a submission hold (D’Arce choke).

In the interview after the fight there was no trace of insight. Instead, he continued to provoke. “Diaz can thank God that he didn’t have to fight me today,” said Chimaev. He doesn’t care about the lost weight. Only the doctors would have stopped him from reaching the fighting weight.

Chimaev’s role has thus turned: to the bogeyman in just 48 hours. However, the weekend could be a stumbling block on the way to becoming a champion. If third-ranked welterweight Chimaev is fighting for the belt and wants to rake in the really hefty fees, he’ll have to make the weight. While the 28-year-old has said he wants to fight for the UFC welterweight and middleweight titles, White says his misconduct is making it difficult. They will sit down this week and probably recommend Chimaev to compete in a weight class higher. However, Chimaev has no rank at middleweight and would have to fight several more fights to finally become champion.

(This article was first published on Sunday, September 11, 2022.)