Getty Gilbert Burns & Khamzat Chimaev
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov recently reacted to Khamzat Chimaev getting into a heated altercation with his teammate and cousin, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, at UFC 280 on Saturday.
The MMA star Chimaev and Abubakar, a middleweight who defeated Gadzhi Omargadzhiev via unanimous decision during the event’s preliminary card, were Octagonside for the night’s headlining act between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira.
And after Abubakar’s teammate became the new lightweight champion by besting Oliveira via second-round arm-triangle choke, he and Chimaev got into it outside of the cage, forcing security to break them apart.
Watch the altercation provided by MMA Junkie on Twitter:
Khamzat Chimaev just got into a cageside scuffle after the main event and had to be restrained by security. 😳
#UFC280 | Results: t.co/ASgbZtcX37
Abubakar Was Seemingly Upset With How Chimaev Approached His Team Post-Fight
Back in 2021, Abubakar told Chimaev to “be careful” after “Borz” threatened that he would “tear” Khabib up, according to RT Sport.
In another video shared of Chimav and Abubakar’s scuffle, the two come face to face with the latter taking issue with how Borz got the attention of Makhachev’s team to congratulate them on the victory.
In a video, it appears like Chimaev reaches out and taps somebody, then follows it up with a handshake. Abubakar then beckons Chimaev over, and the two start talking while embracing.
“Hey, you could have done it without [the punch],” Abubakar said per MMA Mania. “Just come carefully and then go.”
“I will do whatever I want,” Chimaev answered.
“Not with me you won’t,” Abubakar said, and after a few more words, the two got into it with both fighters throwing punches before security stepped in. Watch another angle of the altercation featuring the combatants up close:
KC: I will do however I want!
AN: No, with me you won’t.
KC: Yes, I will.
AN: No, you won’t.
KC: Of course I will!
Then Abubakar flinches at Khamzat trying to scare him, Khamzat pushes him, Abubakar swings left overhand, misses and Borz counters with two clean punches. #WossoNews
Chimaev, Abubakar & Khabib’s Team Squash Rivalry After UFC 280
In a video shared on Abubakar’s Instagram post-altercation, Chimaev is seen standing with the Nurmagomedov team and Khabib announced that the parties had squashed the beef. “What happened yesterday does not show us well,” Khabib said (transcription shared by MMA History Today). “Neither me, nor Khamzat nor Abubakar.
“To tell the truth, we are tired of this nonsense. Here we are gathered together as brothers – talked to each other and we apologized to each other, hugged and inshallah. I hope that in the future we will only gather and fight for good reasons.”
Khabib then pointed to Chimaev as being the next Russian-born fighter who is on the precipice of earning a UFC championship, saying that his team would “celebrate” should that happen.
In the caption of the Instagram post, Abubakar posted a lengthy statement about his tiff with Chimaev. He asked “everyone to stop writing fictitious information and gossip” online.
“You have already seen everything that happened on the video – this is a small misunderstanding that took place personally between me and Khamzat,” he wrote (via Instagram translation).
“Khamzat is my brother in Faith and I always wish him health and success,” Abubakar continued. “I ask you, brothers, not to invent any kind of gossip and I hope our meeting will be beneficial between our Brotherly peoples.”
As mentioned, Abubakar earned a unanimous decision win over Omargadzhiev at UFC 280. He extended his win streak to two and the 185-pound fighter improved his professional mixed martial arts record of 17-3-1.