It’s been over two weeks since Arman Tsarukyan upended the narrative with a decisive win over Dan Hooker. The UFC now stands on the brink of hosting its final marquee event of the year. Yet it appears the ghosts of the Tsarukyan-Hooker fight night in Doha have not been laid to rest. A backstage incident involving welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry, who defeated Belal Muhammad in the event’s co-main, and middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev nearly stole the spotlight from Tsarukyan’s victory.

Though their interaction began on a friendly note, things escalated quickly after one of Ian Garry‘s gestures seemingly irked Khamzat Chimaev. Thanks to the security personnel who intervened, the altercation did not go beyond the usual pushing and shoving. As expected, both camps later offered their own versions of the incident. However, a close-up video of Chimaev and Garry’s scuffle has since surfaced, shedding new light on the confrontation and prompting a wave of fan reactions.

Altercation revisited: New clip reshapes the Khamzat Chimaev-Ian Garry narrative

Sharing a half-minute clip of the Chimaev-Garry exchange, Championship Rounds tweeted, “New angle of the Khamzat Chimaev and Ian Garry altercation in Qatar just dropped 👀.” They noted that Garry’s slaps, or pats, on Chimaev’s back appeared surprisingly forceful.

Speaking later about the backstage drama, the Russian-Emirati champion accused Garry of trying to imitate Conor McGregor, stirring up unnecessary theatrics. When the behavior crossed into what he perceived as disrespect, he reacted. “Don’t punch somebody from behind. He’s tapping my back. If you want to show respect, respectfully touch somebody,” the champion made it clear.

Garry, on the other hand, addressed the matter at the post-fight press conference. According to him, Chimaev needs to put his anger under control and manage it well. For some fans, however, the new footage seems to align more closely with Chimaev’s account.

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Let’s check out how some of them reacted.

Fans think Garry crossed the line

One fan saw the writing on the wall and commented, “Ian’s slaps had playoff energy.” The sound and intensity of Garry’s pat made it clear he went all-out. But the situation barely needed anything of the sort. He might as well have reserved his energy for inside the cage.

Another fan stated bluntly, “Khamzat would maul Garry,” a sentiment many seemed to agree with. The welterweight contender stands little chance against the fighter ranked fourth in the world pound-for-pound. A similar take followed: “He’s going to ragdoll Ian Garry.” While Garry and Chimaev may match physically, the difference in skill would likely become obvious the moment they touch the canvas.

Chimaev’s frustration earned support from another fan, who wrote, “Heard the slaps but couldn’t tell from the other angle if they were coming from Ian. Khamzat was in the right here. Disrespect is disrespect in any language.” Given the sharp sound of Garry’s taps, a casual observer might indeed interpret them as deliberate attempts to provoke.

But not everyone bought into the emerging narrative. One user dismissed the drama, saying, “Is that all? Seriously, Chimaev is such a little Barbie if that’s all it takes to get under his skin. I’ve had harder taps as a seven-year-old.”

Whether someone chooses to take offense at a heavy tap is, of course, highly subjective.

Still, with cameras capturing every angle, the lack of context makes Garry’s actions appear like an attempt at theatrical hype. Fresh off a convincing win over a former champion, a high-octane backstage moment in front of the media could serve to boost anticipation for his next outing.

After watching the close-up footage of the altercation, do you think Ian Garry’s gesture was over the top?