Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion, and rising mixed martial arts (MMA) star Khamzat Chimaev are on the same page.
Tensions were reportedly high between the two fighters after Chimaev, 27, told Khabib, 33, he would smash the older fighter in an Instagram Live this year. Ali Abdelaziz, who serves as the manager for both fighters, says things cooled over once Chimaev apologized.
Ali Abdelaziz says that Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev are on good terms after Chimaev apologized for comments that he had previously made on an Instagram Live chat. pic.twitter.com/75S9WDLFjK
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 13, 2021
“We’re all brothers. We’re all Muslim brothers here. We all come from the same bloodline. And at the end of the day, Khamzat, he’s young. He’s new to the sport. He’s a good kid, man. He’s a good guy. I know Khamzat very well. And at the end of the day, at the time, a lot of people took an insult to it. And I understand where’s Khabib’s coming from and where everybody’s coming from,” Abdelaziz told TSN’s Aaron Bronsteter (h/t MMANews.com).
“And Khamzat, it took him three months to apologize about it. I respect him so much because fighters have so much ego, right? But I [knew] he was gonna do the right thing. Khabib is like an older brother to him. We all have this kind of ranking among us. And he came out, and he right the wrong, and what is he gonna say about the guy? He put his ego to the side, and he apologized, and apology’s accepted.”
Chimaev (9-0) is scheduled to fight 11th ranked UFC welterweight Li Jingliang (18-6) at UFC 267, taking place inside Etihad Arena on “UFC Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. on Sat., Oct. 30 via ABC.
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