“It’s a rough business” – Dana White dishes on Khamzat Chimaev’s cageside scuffle with Abubakar Nurmagomedov at UFC 280
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Dana White (L) comments on Khamzat Chimaev's srimmage with Abubakar Nurmagomedov
The UFC 280 aftermath was an affair of relative calm – that is, both Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev maintained a great level of mutual respect and grace after their fight.
Despite that, there was a minor squabble that ensued right after the fight (with the fighters still in the octagon) that caught the attention of the MMA world. And who other, than Khamzat Chimaev, to find himself in the midst of yet another scuffle. This time, he got tangled up Khabib Nurmagomedov’s cousin, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, who also fought on the same card. Security intervened, quickly separating the two.
Dana White was asked about this incident in the post fight press conference, to which he replied, “It’s what we do here, it’s what we do. It’s a rough business, mean things are said, sometimes guys get into it. It’s our job, here at the UFC to make sure that that stuff doesn’t happen.”
He continued, “These things happen, when you get… we have 800 alpha male and females under contract, so sometimes they cross paths at events and these things happen. It doesn’t bother me or hurt my feelings… we handled it, and moved on.”
“It happens, especially with him” – Dana White is not too pleased with Khamzat Chimaev’s growing disciplinary issues
The details of what happened between Chimaev and Nurmagomedov are still relatively unknown, but, one of Abubakar Nurmagomedov’s Instagram posts might give a subtle hint as to that.
Dana White was asked a further question about the pair’s run-in, and this time, the UFC President didn’t seem too pleased with the star Swede, saying, “The guy, you know, what do I even say about that? It happens, especially with him.”
Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated welterweight prospect remains in the public spotlight – a month after his demolishing of Kevin Holland. However, it seems like his disciplinary issues are catching up to him. And, that is, putting this incident aside.
Things started to hit the fan when Chimaev missed weight by more than seven and a half pounds in the build up to his fight against Nate Diaz. Seven and a half pounds is a lot to miss weight by, and Diaz’s team refused to fight him in lieu of making weight. Instead, the UFC had to switch the card around and reorganize fights. After that, it was reported that, spearheaded by the Swede, his and Nate Diaz’s team went head-on into a brawl, leading to the consequent cancelling of the press conference.
A welterweight mega showdown is impending between Chimaev and Colby Covington, and the Swede must make sure he doesn’t interfere with that fight’s proceedings. It helps being in Dana White’s good books. Although Chimaev hasn’t crossed the line of irredeemability yet, he must proceed with caution in the next few months.
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Udayan Mukherjee
(382 Articles Published)