It looks like the beef between Khamzat Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov will be short-lived.
And it appears the beef might have helped get quashed by Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic considered by many political analysts to be one of the world’s most brutal dictators.
Chimaev was cageside for Saturday’s UFC 280 lightweight title main event between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira. Nurmagomedov was there, as well, just a few hours after his win over Gadzhi Omargadzhiev on the preliminary card in Abu Dhabi.
The beef seems to have started in 2021. Nurmagomedov posted a lengthy message directed at Chimaev in a since-deleted Instagram post (h/t RT Sport). Nurmagomedov took exception to comments made by Chimaev about his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and warned him to “be careful.”
Things then got physical cageside and the fighters had to be separated by UFC and venue security. After the event, UFC president Dana White chalked it up to just a thing that happens when fighters are involved.
But Sunday, Abubakar Nurmagomedov posted on his Instagram account video of Khabib leading a group, including Chimaev and Abubakar, and said the disagreement between the two now is water under the bridge.
The translation, in part, says it was “a small misunderstanding that took place personally between me and Khlamzat. After that, we met with him in the Brotherhood circle, where we were gathered by the elders. As I said in an interview before my fight, Khlamzat is my brother in Faith and I always wish him health and success. I ask you, brothers, not to invent any kind of gossip and I hope our meeting will be beneficial between our brotherly peoples.”
In addition, Kadyrov posted a screenshot on Instagram showing him having a video call with Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov, with accompanying text saying he helped mediate the issue between the two.
