Chimaev breaks silence after Fazil alleges he was slapped by Chechens before DWCS knockout loss

Khamzat Chimaev addressed the controversy surrounding Namo Fazil’s fight-week assault allegations on Thursday, posting a cryptic message on social media that stopped short of a direct denial but acknowledged that “things happened” and warned of consequences for those who “speak bad.”

Fazil was knocked out in the third round of the Dana White’s Contender Series headliner against Kaik Brito on Tuesday night, a result that ended an eight-fight win streak for the 29-year-old Kurdish fighter. After the bout, Fazil alleged that he had been confronted by 15 Chechen men during his weight cut, two of whom he claims slapped him. UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged that “some shit” had occurred at the fighter hotel before the event but declined to elaborate.

Chimaev, the former UFC middleweight champion who is Chechen, posted what appeared to be a direct response to Fazil’s account. “I just want to say that if something happens between two men, they need to sort things out between themselves without letting media make fitna between nations,” Chimaev wrote. “We all are brothers. Chechens and Kurds we are Muslims and we should stay united. I’m not happy with the things that happened. I respect strong Kurdish people. When someone speaks bad then he should know there always will be consequences.”

The statement is notable for what it does not say: Chimaev neither denied that an altercation took place nor distanced himself from those allegedly involved. The phrase “I’m not happy with the things that happened” implicitly confirms that an incident occurred, while the closing line about consequences for those who “speak bad” has drawn its own scrutiny given the timing.

Fazil had previously turned heads with a second-round submission win over Jake Babian at the Rousey vs. Carano MVP event in May, a performance that earned him the DWCS headliner slot. He has attributed Tuesday’s defeat, at least in part, to the physical and psychological toll of the alleged confrontation during fight week.

The situation remains unresolved, with no official statement from the UFC beyond White’s brief acknowledgement and no further detail from Chimaev beyond his social media post.