Khamzat Chimaev laughs off Jon Jones wrestling “win” and explains street altercation

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Dec 8, 2025 5:32 PM ET

Khamzat Chimaev has explained that his street grappling match with Jon Jones that went viral was simply the pair playing around.

Much was made of the middleweight champion ‘winning’ the exchange, and partners who were there for the video claimed that Jones had agreed to a ‘rematch’. However, Chimaev insists that they were joking, and it was an ultimately respectful meeting.

Jones is currently pushing to get a fight at the UFC White House event next summer, while Chimaev is nursing an injury and hopes to return some time before that event. And while their altercation wasn’t real, there was a very real issue between the champion and Ian Machado Garry at UFC Qatar.

Khamzat Chimaev opens up about what happened with Jon Jones

Two weeks ago, a video appeared online showing Jon Jones and Khamzat Chimaev in a parking lot engaging in what appeared to be something of a grappling match. This is not unlike the two-weight champion, who has fought fellow UFC stars in the back of restaurants before.

However, what made the footage so fascinating was that Chimaev, who last tipped the scales at 185lb, managed to actually get down Jones, whose last fight weight was over 237lb. The video went everywhere, but perhaps wasn’t as serious as has been made out.

Watch Jon Jones wrestle Khamzat Chimaev

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“People are posting this wrestling s—,” Chimaev told ESPN MMA. “I’m always respectful to my guests, it wasn’t me that was trying to take him down, he started first. Then it slowly becomes wrestling and it was funny.

“But it wasn’t real wrestling. People are saying I took him down, he liked it. He was there shooting something and having a good time.”

Jon Jones reportedly wanted a rematch after Khamzat Chimaev grappling exchange

According to Rizvan Edilsultanov, an amateur photographer who was on the scene, Chimaev got the better of Jones, which can be seen in the footage shared to social media. The American then comically ran away, shouting “no,” repeatedly and asking the people in attendance not to take video.

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“Khamzat Chimaev and Jon Jones tested each other’s skills,” a loose translation of his post read. “Chimaev slightly surpassed [Jones]. Jones couldn’t settle with ‘defeat’, he began to shout at the whole terrible ‘no, no’.

“But then Alfredo Auditore entered the case, offering for a fight (who can say how much?) to which Jones immediately replied with agreement. Well, what are we waiting for this confrontation?”

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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