On August 17, Chechen fighter Khamzat Chimaev, who holds UAE citizenship and previously fought under the flag of Sweden, secured his ninth consecutive UFC victory and immediately addressed Adam Kadyrov from the stage after the bout.
“Chechens, the belt is ours! For a Chechen, winning another one is no problem. Chechen youth, let’s get to work. Allahu Akbar! Akhmat is power! Dustum, I’m bringing you this piece of metal. See you in Dubai,” Chimaev shouted from the octagon, referring to the championship belt.
Ultimate Fighting Championship is an American promotion that stages tournaments around the world. Its YouTube channel has more than 21 million subscribers, and UFC’s valuation is estimated at about $12 billion. As the article notes, no other MMA league in the world matches that scale.
For the August 17 fight, Chimaev walked out to “Anthem” by bard Timur Mutsuraev, who fought in the late 1990s, including against Akhmat-Hadji Kadyrov. More than 30 of Mutsuraev’s songs are currently included on Russia’s list of extremist materials.
As he approached the octagon, the fighter shouted “Allahu Akbar!” He was backed in the arena by hundreds of fans, many of whom wore fake black beards to imitate his signature look.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov later published a congratulatory post for Chimaev and paired it with a song describing him as a “descendant of Sheikh Mansur and naib Baysangur,” Chechen military and political figures who spent their lives fighting against the Russian Empire.