"Bro really played with death" - Fans react to man getting his phone smashed for telling Khamzat Chimaev he didn't make weight
UFC fans on social media were in splits after a man heckled Khamzat Chimaev in a casino lobby.
Chimaev turned many fans into haters last week after his bizarre actions ahead of UFC 279. The Chechen-born Swede missed weight by a whopping 7.5 pounds for his scheduled welterweight bout against Nate Diaz. The incident jeopardized the event, which was only saved by a reshuffling of the card. He ended up facing Kevin Holland in the co-main event.
Worse, Chimaev tried to downplay his mistakes and made it clear that he didn't care about the opinion of fans. Needless to say, the undefeated rising star turned into one of the biggest villains in the UFC over the weekend.
Watch the video below:
One fan expressed his displeasure with Chimaev by shouting, "You missed weight" at the UFC fighter while filming him. The man had his phone slapped away by kickboxer Guram Kutateladze, who was part of Chimaev's entourage.
The majority of commenters believe that the heckler deserved what he got. Many also accused him of clout-chasing.
However, it wasn't lost on some social media users that it took courage to pull a prank on Chimaev. They pointed out that he could've been severely hurt had the fighter's crew decided to go after him.
Khamzat Chimaev dismisses fan backlash for UFC 279 fiasco
On top of missing weight, Khamzat Chimaev was also involved in a massive backstage brawl during the UFC 279 pre-fight press conference.
Once a generally beloved fighter, the 28-year-old is now one of the most hated athletes on the UFC roster. Chimaev was showered with boos and jeers throughout the event.
However, Chimaev stressed that fan sentiment is the least of his concerns. During the UFC 279 post-fight press conference, the undefeated welterweight star said:
"You care about that sh*t? I don’t care. I care about my family. I care about my career. I care about my money. ... One day they’re with me, one day they’re not with me. So, I’m real, guys. So, I like the people that are real. Not fake people going one way or going the other way."
Check out the interview below: