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Khamzat Chimaev Says Viral Parking-Lot Grapple With Jon Jones Was Just Playful

He describes a lighthearted tussle that fans mistook for a serious contest.

Overview

  • Chimaev told ESPN the parking-lot exchange with Jon Jones was not real wrestling and was meant in good humor.
  • The clip drew attention because the lighter Chimaev appeared to get the heavier Jones to the ground in the brief scramble.
  • Chimaev says Jones initiated the playful wrestling and that his own takedown attempt was an instinctive reaction rather than a competitive move.
  • Eyewitness claims that Jones agreed to a ‘rematch’ have circulated but have not been independently confirmed.
  • Reports note Jones is pushing for a fight at the UFC White House event next summer, while Chimaev is rehabbing an injury and still has a separate, unresolved issue with Ian Machado Garry from UFC Qatar.