Who is Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader who made peace between Khamzat Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov after UFC 280 brawl?

Khamzat Chimaev (far left), Abubakar Nurmagomedov (middle left), Ramzan Kadyrov (right and top left) [Images courtesy of @ya_pomoshnik_kra_95 on Instagram]
Khamzat Chimaev (far left), Abubakar Nurmagomedov (middle left), Ramzan Kadyrov (right and top left) [Images courtesy of @ya_pomoshnik_kra_95 on Instagram]

Khamzat Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov had a physical altercation at UFC 280. The two UFC fighters exchanged more than just words at the pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi. However, Ramzan Kadyrov has apparently made peace between the fighters via a video call.

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Kadyrov is a politician who is currently the Head of the Chechen Republic and a highly-ranked officer in the military. In 2022, Vladimir Putin promoted the Chechen leader to colonel general in the Russian army.

The politician recently stepped in to squash the beef between the two UFC fighters, stating (translated via Instagram):

"There is no quarrel between Khamzat Chimaev and Abubakar Nurmagomedov - I have made sure of it personally, and I pass this information on to the ill-wishers."

The 46-year-old is also a former member of the Chechen independence movement. In October, the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria was reported to have its independence voted on by the Ukrainian parliament, needing the signature of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ramzan Kadyrov has been a controversial figure amidst Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Kadyrov was critical of Poland's involvement in supplying weapons to Ukraine and reportedly deployed his sons to the frontline despite them being in their early teens.

Khamzat Chimaev and Dana White with one of Ramzan Kadyrov's sons:


Was Khamzat Chimaev born in Chechnya?

Despite Khamzat Chimaev often being seen with the Swedish flag, 'Borz' was born in Beno-Yurt, Chechnya. Chimaev began his wrestling journey in Chechnya, but moved to Sweden at the age of 18 with his mother, joining his sibling who was already in the country.

'Borz' currently trains in Stockholm, Sweden and has made friends with Darren Till in the Swedish capital. The duo have affectionately been dubbed 'The Smesh Bros', with the two fighters sharing many comical moments.

Watch some of the funniest moments between Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev here:

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After missing weight, 'Borz' displayed true dominance against Kevin Holland in the co-main event at UFC 279, submitting his foe in the first round. Aside from that, he also got involved in an altercation with middleweight Paulo Costa who has been calling him out left and right ever since.

Chimaev is beginning to emerge as a bonafide villain character in the UFC. His violent demeanor, in-and-out of the ring, doesn't always endear him to fight fans. Recently, Chimaev attending UFC events with Ramzan Kadyrov's sons also came under fire in view of the situation in Ukraine.

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Edited by Virat Deswal