Khamzat Chimaev is unrepentant following the backstage fracas which led to the cancellation of Thursday’s UFC 279 press conference in Las Vegas.
The undefeated welterweight contender became involved in two separate incidents backstage prior to the press event during which he was said to have push-kicked Kevin Holland in the chest in apparent retaliation for comments made by Holland about him during fight week, while another melee occurred shortly afterwards involving various members of his and Nate Diaz’s entourage.
The sequence of events was enough for Dana White to turn the media away and shelve plans for the presser but as far as Chimaev is concerned, both Holland and Diaz got what was coming to them.
“I told them: Don’t joke with us,” Chimaev said on Instagram, as translated by MMA Junkie. “Kevin got what he deserved. Diaz got what he deserved.”
The incident has certainly added a little bit of extra spice to Saturday night’s UFC 279 main event, while all eyes will also be on Friday evening’s ceremonial weigh-ins — and you can bet that White and the UFC will have called in a few extra security guards to ensure that there is no repeat of Thursday’s fracas.
