Khamzat Chimaev paid tribute to Vladimir Putin's friend, Chechen warlord and president Ramzan Kadyrov, after his win at UFC 273.
Kadyrov, who was sanctioned on multiple occasions by the US government, is a major player in Russian MMA. The Chechen president is also one of the leading voices supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
And in his post-fight speech after a tight unanimous decision victory over Gilbert Burns last weekend in Florida, Chimaev made his feeling about Kadyrov clear. He took to the microphone after the fight to leave a message in Russian, which was later translated by Chechen Human Rights organisation vayfond.
