Khamzat Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov are two of the most dominant fighters in the UFC. Both of them have undefeated records, impressive grappling skills, Russian origins, Muslim faith, and the same manager. These similarities have led many fans to wonder if they are related by blood or by any other means. The answer is no. They are not related and have even had a feud in the past.
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The origin of the rumors
One of the main reasons for the rumors of the two being related is because of their origin. Both fighters come from the Caucasus region of Russia, which is known for producing many talented wrestlers and MMA fighters. Chimaev was born and raised in Chechnya, a republic that is close to Dagestan, Nurmagomedov’s homeland. They also share a common language, Chechen, which is spoken by both Chechens and Dagestanis.
Another reason for the rumors is their relationship with the Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. Kadyrov is a controversial figure who has been accused of human rights violations and supporting terrorism. He is also a big fan of MMA and has hosted several events in his country under his promotion, Akhmat MMA. He has also befriended many fighters, including Nurmagomedov and Chimaev. He even gave Chimaev a luxury car as a gift after his UFC debut.
The feud between the fighters
Despite their similarities and connections, Nurmagomedov and Chimaev are not on good terms. Their feud started when Chimaev said in an Instagram live session that he would smash Nurmagomedov if they ever fought in a Russian MMA promotion. Nurmagomedov did not appreciate this comment and said that he never expected anything from Chimaev. He also said that he never saw him in person and only talked to him on the phone.
The tension between them escalated when Chimaev got into a scuffle with Nurmagomedov’s cousin, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, at UFC 260. The security had to intervene and separate them. Chimaev later apologized for his actions and said that he was provoked by Abubakar.
Chimaev also clarified his comments about Nurmagomedov and said that he did not hate him. He said that he looked up to him as a fighter and a Muslim brother. He said that he was just answering a troll who wrote something bad about him.
The current status of their relationship
After Chimaev’s apology, their manager, Ali Abdelaziz, confirmed that Nurmagomedov accepted it and forgave him. He said that Chimaev did the right thing by putting his ego aside and admitting his mistake. He also said that Nurmagomedov was like an older brother to Chimaev.
Since then, there has been no more animosity between them. Nurmagomedov even predicted that Chimaev would win his fight against Li Jingliang at UFC 267, which he did by submitting him in the first round.
Therefore, it is clear that Nurmagomedov and Chimaev are not related by blood or by any other means. They are just two fighters with a lot of similarities in their fighting style, background, and faith. They have had some misunderstandings in the past, but they have resolved them and moved on.
