"It’s fine to have war criminals as VIP guests on your show?" - Fans outrage at Khamzat Chimaev attending UFC 280 with Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov's sons
Khamzat Chimaev is in attendance at UFC 280 with Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov's sons. Their image together has sparked outrage and the MMA community have taken to Twitter to unleash their fury.
Kadyrov is a controversial figure in world politics and is currently in the news for forcibly mustering Chechen men to take part in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a post made on Twitter, investigative journalist Karim Zidan identified Kadryov's sons with the undefeated welterweight prospect. He captioned the post:
"Chimaev is hanging out with Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov’s teenage sons at #UFC280"
Chimaev is hanging out with Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov’s teenage sons at #UFC280 https://t.co/AxLemfd0uB
MMA fans were quick to express their infuriation under the post. One fan questioned the UFC for having them over as guests:
"That’s fine to have war criminals as vip guests on your show? @ufc"
@ZidanSports That’s fine to have war criminals as vip guests on your show? @ufc
Another fan cited this particular instance as the reason for losing interest in the sport:
"This sport makes me sick. Almost done with it."
@ZidanSports This sport makes me sick. Almost done with it.
Yet another fan pointed out that Khamzat Chimaev used his Swedish nationality for legal benefit:
"You have to almost admire how Chimaev doesn’t even try to pretend his Swedish nationality is anything but a legal convenience."
@ZidanSports You have to almost admire how Chimaev doesn’t even try to pretend his Swedish nationality is anything but a legal convenience
Check out some of the best fan reactions below:
@ZidanSports Chimaev may be a Swedish citizen, but he's not welcome in our country any more. He'd better move back to the paradise where he was born!
@ZidanSports Very c o o l @ufc to allow war criminals at events. Wonder if other @campbellcombate @ScottCoker would’ve taken a different stand?
@ZidanSports Kadyrov's teenage sons with their punching bag at UFC 280*
@ZidanSports and this guy is fighting under swedish flag, very proud moment for sweden
@ZidanSports Happy to have not contributed to this by paying for a UFC in years.
Dana White reveals that the UFC is working on a fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington
Khamzat Chimaev has been persistently calling out Colby Covington for a potential fight between the two combatants. He made the case the biggest win of his MMA career against Gilbert Burns at UFC 273.
@ColbyCovMMA next ☠️
Chimaev's head coach Andreas Michael has claimed that his pupil will probably make a move to middleweight following his weight-missing debacle at UFC 279. However, it looks like 'Borz' wants to continue his run at welterweight and contest for the title at 170lbs.
With that in mind, UFC president Dana White endorsed the idea floated by Oscar Willis from TheMacLife. The UFC head-honcho was in agreement when the idea for Khamzat Chimaev to face Colby Covington for a No.1 contender spot was brought up by the interviewer:
"I agree with you. Alright. I'm on it, I'll get it done."
Catch the full interview here:
Chimaev last fought Kevin Holland at UFC 279 after he was forced out of the main event for missing weight. He won the fight by submission in the very first-round.