What happens when a fighter says he doesn’t care about the belt and then walks away without one? That’s exactly what the MMA sphere is left asking after a recent clip of Khamzat Chimaev surfaced online.

The footage, shared on Reddit under the title “Kadyrov Son took Khamzat Chimaev belt for himself,” shows the newly crowned middleweight champion posing with controversial Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s son for a picture on a street.

Once done, ‘Borz’ walks away without the belt as the user who posted the entire interaction summed it up with, “He literally stole his belt and sent Khamzat away without it.” So, was this a case of disrespect, or just proof that Chimaev meant what he’s been saying all along?

For months, Chimaev has repeated the same message. He doesn’t care about the gold, just the opportunities that come along with it. Why? After de-throning Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319, he was asked about the division’s future and his plans for upcoming challengers.

He responded with, “Just money. Make money. People think I love too much money. I love to get the money and get the opportunity to help the people. That’s why I’m speaking about the money.”

As for his association with the Kadyrov family, right after his victory at UFC 319, he grabbed the mic and exclaimed, “‘Chechens, the belt is ours! For a Chechen it is no problem to win another one. Chechen youth, let’s work. Allahu Akbar! Akhmat is power! Dustum (Adam Kadyrov’s nickname), I am bringing you this piece of iron. We will meet in Dubai.”

But here’s where it gets complicated. Ramzan Kadyrov has long been a controversial figure. Since 2017, he’s faced U.S. sanctions over what official reports have called ‘violations of human rights.’ In 2020, his Akhmat fight club was also blacklisted. Despite this, Kadyrov has kept a heavy hand in MMA.

His investments in ACA, his influence on fighters, and his own sons’ early debuts in the cage show just how deep his reach goes. In fact, back in 2022, Khamzat Chimaev even cornered one of Kadyrov’s sons, Ali, during his first professional bout. And he has even credited the Chechen leader for his role in ‘Borz’s journey to the top of the UFC’s mountain.

Khamzat Chimaev credits Ramzan Kadyrov for bringing him “back to the sport”

Fresh off his middleweight title triumph at UFC 319, Khamzat Chimaev has now taken the gold back to his roots. Chicago saw him silence critics about his stamina, outlasting Dricus du Plessis in a five-round display that left no doubts about his championship caliber. But instead of lingering in the spotlight abroad, the Chechen juggernaut chose to make an emotional return home.

First came a celebratory stop in the UAE, where Chimaev has reportedly set up a base due to easier travel and visa access. Then, only days later, the Chechen native carried his new prize back to his home country as the region welcomed its first UFC champion with open arms.

But amid the festivities, one figure stood out, Ramzan Kadyrov. The Chechen leader greeted Chimaev warmly, and their meeting once again underlined the close bond the two share. For many observers, that relationship has long stirred debate, given the sanctions and controversies attached to Kadyrov.

Yet for Chimaev, it’s deeply personal as speaking to Obzor press, he stated, “When I broke down, he brought me back and said, ‘If you train, you’ll become champion,’ and as he said, we returned to the sport. He brought me back to the sport and I became champion.”

Health scares, hints of retirement, and visa battles all threatened to derail his rise. But as Chimaev tells it, encouragement from the Chechen leader lit the spark that kept him chasing gold. So, the belt may now sit in the hands of Adam Kadyrov, but the message couldn’t be clearer—Chimaev never fought for the leather and gold in the first place. He fought for the paycheck, the chance to give back, and the pride of putting Chechnya on the UFC map.