UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has fired back at Petr Yan after the former bantamweight titleholder questioned his Russian identity.
Chimaev, who defeated Dricus du Plessis to claim the middleweight crown at UFC 319 in August, received a congratulatory message from Yan — but the ex-champion later clarified that he doesn’t consider Chimaev a “Russian” titleholder since he now competes under the flag of the United Arab Emirates, having gained UAE citizenship earlier this year.
The remarks didn’t sit well with Chimaev. Speaking to Aslanbek Badaev, “The Wolf” said he felt disappointed that the comments came from someone he knows personally.
“I know Petr Yan personally, and he knows I speak Russian,” Chimaev said. “We trained at the same facility. How can he say I’m not Russian? I’ve built gyms and roads in Russia and helped young people there. In the UAE, I haven’t built anything — they are wealthy, and they help me. But I help my people.”
Chimaev also poked fun at Yan’s comments, adding, “How can a Chinese guy say a Chechen isn’t Russian? Of course it bothered me a bit. I represent Russia because I grew up here. As long as Chechnya is part of Russia, I am Russian.”
Petr Yan Focused on UFC 323 Title Shot
Despite the back-and-forth, Yan appears unlikely to respond further. The former bantamweight champion is preparing to headline UFC 323 on December 6, where he’ll challenge Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title in a rematch of their 2023 bout.
The card will also feature a flyweight title fight between Alexandre Pantoja and Joshua Van in the co-main event.
Yan will be looking to avenge his previous loss to Dvalishvili, who dominated their first meeting with a record-breaking number of takedowns.
