Cejudo Describes Paris Encounter With Chimaev
Henry Cejudo said he crossed paths with Khamzat Chimaev near an Olympic ticket line in Paris and described a tense verbal exchange. The former UFC champion’s account, shared on his podcast, did not include a physical fight; Chimaev’s version was not reported in the cited coverage.
The encounter, as Cejudo described it
On an August 2024 episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with co-host Kamaru Usman, Cejudo said he was outside trying to collect tickets for an Olympic event when he spotted Chimaev. Cejudo recalled that Chimaev called him a “rat” and “piece of [expletive]” and confronted him about Cejudo’s public criticism. Cejudo said Chimaev was with a group of people while Cejudo was accompanied by his coach Eric Albarracin.
Cejudo said he chose to leave instead of engage. His story described an exchange from a distance; it did not establish that punches were thrown or that anyone was injured. Accounts published by MMA Mania and MiddleEasy were summaries of Cejudo’s podcast remarks, not independent eyewitness confirmation.
A rivalry that moved offline
The two had exchanged criticism in the MMA media before the Paris meeting. Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist and former UFC champion at two weight classes, regularly discussed other fighters on his podcast and in interviews. Chimaev, then a UFC welterweight and middleweight contender, had also been a frequent subject of commentary after withdrawals and changes to his fight schedule.
That background helps explain why Cejudo interpreted the meeting as connected to his comments, but the motive is part of his account. The published reports did not include a response from Chimaev confirming Cejudo’s version.
What is established
The reliable account is limited: Cejudo said the men encountered one another in Paris during the Olympics, exchanged words, and went their separate ways. There was no verified report of an assault, a formal complaint, or an Olympic security incident. The encounter became a combat-sports story because it involved two prominent UFC names and an ongoing public rivalry.
Sources
- MMA Mania: Cejudo describes the Paris encounter on his podcast
- MiddleEasy: Cejudo’s account of the exchange
- Pound 4 Pound podcast episode discussing the Olympics
Tags: Paris Olympics, MMA
