Ian Machado Garry had only just walked away from his win over Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar when a surprising moment unfolded behind the scenes. While heading toward the post fight interviews, he found himself in a tense and unplanned encounter with UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev.
Garry had been congratulating Arman Tsarukyan, who finished Dan Hooker in the main event, when he appeared to casually pass by Chimaev. The mood seemed relaxed until security stepped forward as Garry turned to walk away.
Garry looked toward the official and said,
“He’s not going to fight me. He’s good.”
A brief moment later, Chimaev reached out and shoved Garry without any warning. Security staff immediately created space between the two fighters while Garry reacted with frustration.
Garry turned back toward Chimaev and shouted,
“That’s just childish. You’re meant to be a champion of this sport. Your friend just won, don’t ruin his victory. Arman, congratulations.”
What was said between the two fighters before the shove is still uncertain, because there was no visible sign of hostility. The change in tone only appeared after Garry mentioned that Chimaev would not fight him, which seemed to provoke an immediate response from the champion.
Unlike some past UFC backstage moments that escalated quickly into chaos such as the famous Masvidal and Edwards encounter, this situation ended before any further physical contact occurred. No punches were thrown, and the fighters were separated promptly.
Still, the brief clash surprised many watching from behind the curtain. The exchange between Garry and Chimaev had looked friendly moments earlier, making the sudden shove even more puzzling as both fighters eventually moved on to their respective commitments.
