Reports of physical force between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters in arrears the scenes at a push conference inwards Las Vegas last hebdomad hold triggered an official investigating by the Battle Born State Athletic Commission (NAC). The UFC 279 military press group discussion on Sept. 8 was canceled non long after it started, due to a reported out-of-control altercation backstage.

According to the MMA Junkie blog at USA Today, attack aircraft Khamzat Chimaev got into it with Kevin Holland, who shared the same card as him (with a scheduled bout against Book of the Prophet Daniel Rodriguez). Chimaev push-kicked Holland in the chest, according to the blog, sparking a backstage brawl in which Chimaev also took on his functionary opponent, Nate Diaz. (Chimaev went on to win — their prescribed bout, at least.)

Tempers had already been flaring, according to reports, as Chimaev had missed weight, forcing the UFC to make three unexampled fights at the 11th hour. In addition, Chimeav had already suggested he was up for fighting before his scheduled fight.

“If they wanna fighting before, (expletive) the money, brother, I’m gonna struggle with them,” he said during an question with ESPN. “I erotic love to fight. I’ve been born for war. I’m within a warrior, don’t care. When the fights come, you don’t charge most money or what’s behindhand it, simply fight. If he wants to struggle there with his team, I make similar 20 guys with me. We’ll fight with all the teams, you know. i trust so. i would enjoy if it happens, something nutcase things there.”

Fighting Words from Nevada Athletic Commission

“Although ‘trash talking’ between private-enterprise(a) athletes is common, any escalation into physical altercations may discredit the athletics of unarmed armed combat and is totally unacceptable,” NAC Chairman Sir Leslie Stephen Cloobeck said inwards a statement. “Further, such conduct may display participants to both civic and malefactor liability. The NV Athletic Commission will act as strongly and resolutely to safeguard and elevate unarmed combat inward Nevada.”

White canceled the presser simply after bringing come out Holland and Rodriguez. In a video tweeted by UFC, he can buoy be seen telling fans and media assembled at the MGM Grand Garden Arena: “Yeah, this ain’t gonna happen. I apologize, everybody. i am in real weird waters here. This has ne'er happened inwards the account of this company.”

When the gang began booing, Stanford White replied: “Trust me when i recount you, this is the right on conclusion non to make this public press group discussion redress now. For everybody’s safety, this is the compensate decision.”

UFC fighter Darren Till downplayed the controversy. “It’s nothing, it’s just now team up vs. team,” he said inward an question with YouTube communication channel The MacLife. “It’s same they’re gonna protect Nate and we’re gonna protect Khamzat and it’s team up vs. team. That’s all it is.”

However, the NAC is non mount down. Cloobeck wrote inwards his statement that the NAC would “strictly field all licensees for all incidents of physical violence 'tween athletes alfresco the doughnut or cage, upward to and including wrinkle forfeiture, revocation or reprieve of any current license, disaffirmation of applications for new applicants, or denying future tense license renewals.

“We await pro fighters inwards Nevada to comport themselves as professionals,” Cloobeck wrote.