TLDR
- Khamzat Chimaev got into two physical altercations at UFC Qatar despite not being on the fight card
- Chimaev pushed a security guard who prevented him from entering the arena with Arman Tsarukyan’s team
- Police were called and removed Chimaev from the building twice before he returned
- Chimaev shoved Ian Garry after Garry’s victory over Belal Muhammad in a heated backstage encounter
- Chimaev claimed Garry disrespectfully hit his back, while Garry called Chimaev’s behavior “childish”
Khamzat Chimaev was involved in two separate physical confrontations at UFC Qatar on Saturday. The middleweight champion traveled to Doha to support his training partner Arman Tsarukyan.
The first incident occurred when Chimaev and Tsarukyan’s team arrived at the arena. A security guard stopped Chimaev from entering the building. The guard pushed Chimaev and told him to go back and re-enter.
Chimaev responded by pushing the security guard. The situation escalated when arena staff called the police. Tsarukyan revealed the details in an interview with Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel.
“Khamzat has a 2-0 that day,” Tsarukyan said. “We just came from the bus and we were getting to the arena and one bodyguard pushed into Khamzat.”
The police removed Chimaev from the building twice. Each time, he managed to return to the venue. Tsarukyan laughed while describing the repeated removals and returns.
The second confrontation happened after the main card fights ended. Ian Garry approached Tsarukyan to congratulate him on his victory over Dan Hooker. As Garry turned to leave, Chimaev shoved him.
Competing Accounts of the Incident
Security personnel quickly intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further. Garry responded by calling Chimaev’s actions “childish” and said he was ruining Tsarukyan’s victory.
Chimaev offered a different version of events. He claimed that Garry had punched or slapped his back disrespectfully. The Chechen fighter said the contact felt disrespectful rather than friendly.
“Don’t punch somebody from behind, you know,” Chimaev said. “He punched, like slapping my back.”
Video footage of the encounter shows Garry touching Chimaev’s shoulder. The available clips do not clearly show a punch or hard slap. Only the two fighters know exactly how hard the contact was.
Chimaev accused Garry of trying to create publicity. He compared Garry to Conor McGregor and said the Irish fighter would never reach that level. He also called Garry a poor fighter.
Tsarukyan’s Title Shot Plans
Garry had just defeated Belal Muhammad in the co-main event. The victory was a crucial win for Garry in the welterweight division. He criticized Chimaev for disrupting what should have been a celebratory moment.
Tsarukyan is now positioned for a lightweight title shot against Ilia Topuria. The UFC has not announced an official opponent for Topuria’s first lightweight title defense. Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje are also being discussed as possible challengers.
Topuria is expected to defend his lightweight title in the first quarter of 2026. The UFC is expected to announce his next opponent soon. Tsarukyan’s victory over Hooker strengthened his claim to the title shot.
Chimaev was not scheduled to fight at UFC Qatar. He attended the event solely to support Tsarukyan in his corner. Both fighters train together regularly.
