Ahead of UFC Qatar, Khamzat Chimaev had promised not to get involved if Ilia Topuria and his teammate Arman Tsarukyan had a backstage incident. However, little did he know, he would soon find himself caught in one. After calling out Islam Makhachev straight from Qatar’s ABHA Arena, welterweight star Ian Machado Garry left the cage with no idea of the start of a new rivalry with middleweight champion.

The Irishman brought the best version of himself this time avoiding the mistakes he had made against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. He showcased elite striking, solid takedown defense, and an all-around polished performance. After three intense rounds, Ian Garry defeated former champion Belal Muhammad, with the judges’ scorecards reading 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28, thrilling fans and making the promotion’s debut as UFC Qatar truly memorable.

Then, what unfolded backstage after the fight quickly became the talk of the MMA world. As Ian Machado Garry walked out in his suit, he ran into Arman Tsarukyan and Khamzat Chimaev in a hallway, a moment later shared in a video posted by ‘The Future’. The situation escalated when ‘The Future’ approached ‘Borz’, who saw him and pushed him, saying, “I’ll f–k you up, bitch.” Garry responded calmly, “That’s just childish. You’re meant to be a champion of this sport.”

Even though the two fighters now compete in different divisions, Ian Machado Garry had long dreamed of facing Khamzat Chimaev, referring to the Chechen star as a “dream opponent.” Their paths had crossed before in hallways or elevators, but tensions boiled over today at UFC Qatar. Last year, the Irishman revealed his middleweight plans with the goal of eventually facing ‘Borz’, stating, “I’m not afraid of any man.” Now that the event is complete, both fighters have shared their perspectives on the post-fight altercation. Let’s hear it from both sides.

Khamzat Chimaev and Ian Machado Garry each point fingers over UFC Qatar altercation

Khamzat Chimaev has placed the blame for the backstage altercation entirely on Ian Garry. Through senior journalist Oscar Willis on X, Chimaev’s statement was shared, “Khamzat says Ian Garry came up and jokingly punched him in the back, and that’s why he snapped, ‘You know this guy, trying to be Conor but never gonna be Conor.'” While McGregor has long set the standard for trash talk and hype in the UFC, Chimaev’s allegations drew significant attention. Despite this, Ian Machado Garry shared his side of the story, offering a different perspective on the incident.

During the post-fight press conference after the event, he revealed that Khamzat Chimaev attempted to steal the spotlight from his friend and training partner, Arman Tsarukyan. Ian Machado Garry explained, “I went up to Tsarukyan and congratulated him. I went up to Khamzat and said, ‘Hey, chap, what’s up? When are we gonna see you back?'” Garry added, “You?” I said, “I don’t know, brother, whenever.” He said, “Smash, all right, cool.” He snapped me on the back. I was like, “All right, cool.”

“Then this security guy gets in front of us. I said, “We literally were just cool, you? He’s not gonna fight me.” “And then that childish energy comes out… boom, tries to push me,” the Irishman added. “I just turned around and said, ‘You’re meant to be a champion of this sport. You’re a child. You’re taken away from your friends. Win over here, how about you calm down, slow down, and have a better respect for your friend over here, instead of trying to steal the headlines.”

“Do you want the honest truth? It’s little d— energy. I need to show the world I’m tough. I need to show you’re a champion to the world. No one needs to see you be tough. You don’t need to have these anger management issues. Just be a man.'” explained Ian Machado Garry.

With both sides of the UFC backstage altercation now out in the open, the question is yours: whose version do you believe? Who truly caused the incident, Ian Machado Garry or Khamzat Chimaev? The debate continues.