Garry and Tsarukyan... The Standout Winners of Doha Night
Both Ian Garry and Arman Tsarukyan secured significant victories in the card's main events. Garry won by unanimous decision over Vicente Luque, moving a step closer to contending for the Welterweight title. He even later called for a fight against Islam Makhachev, despite the crowded list of contenders in the division.
As for Tsarukyan, he scored a notable victory by submitting Dan Hooker in the second round and immediately called for a title shot against champion Ilia Topuria after a dominant performance in the octagon.
The Start of the Chimaev-Garry Altercation
According to fighter Ian Garry's account, he went to Arman Tsarukyan's locker room to congratulate him on his win, where he then met Khamzat Chimaev, a friend of the Armenian fighter and the current Welterweight champion.
Garry said at the press conference, "I went to Tsarukyan and congratulated him, then I turned to Khamzat and said, 'Hey champ, when are we going to see you fight again?' He replied to me normally, then he slapped me on the back. After that, the atmosphere suddenly changed, and I saw security intervening as if something was about to happen."
The Irish fighter indicated that Chimaev tried to push him, considering his reaction unjustified, adding, "It's childish energy... You're the world champion, you don't need to start problems. I will beat him one day."
Chimaev: "Gary is a Failure Trying to be McGregor"
For his part, Chimaev presented a completely different version, denying assaulting Garry or pushing him from behind. He said, "I didn't hit anyone. He was the one who started touching my back as if he wanted to create media hype. He wants to act like Conor McGregor, but he won't succeed. He's a failed fighter."
Chimaev confirmed that Garry deliberately provoked the situation to attract attention, pointing out that their relationship had been normal before that night and that he didn't expect any friction with him, especially after his move to the Welterweight division.
An Unexpected Rivalry
There was no prior history of animosity between Garry and Chimaev; in fact, the latter's move to Welterweight was supposed to keep them off a direct collision course. However, the significant difference in their personalities, coupled with the tension following Tsarukyan's win and the presence of media cameras, made a small spark enough to ignite an unexpected dispute.
While the UFC management is moving to reorganize the Welterweight title picture, the possibility of a future fight between the two seems plausible. Such a matchup could turn into one of the most exciting fights in the division's history if the organization decides to capitalize on the new tension between the fighters.