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UFC 279: Here’s what happened with Khamzat Chimaev, Kevin Holland, Nate Diaz backstage (Video)

By Rodrigo Paredes

Mar 30, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Kevin Holland smiles between rounds in his fight against Gerald Meerschaert (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Wells Fargo Arena. Holland won the fight. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 30, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Kevin Holland smiles between rounds in his fight against Gerald Meerschaert (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Wells Fargo Arena. Holland won the fight. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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What happened to Kevin Holland and Khamzat Chimaev backstage?

**This is a developing story, we’ll update shortly**

The UFC 279 press conference was canceled due to an “altercation” backstage shortly after it began.

It was meant to have Dana White, Kevin Holland, Daniel Rodriguez, Nate Diaz, Khamzat Chimaev, Tony Ferguson, and Li Jingliang but White called it off due to the safety of all involved.

According to White, the “catalysts” of the fight backstage were Holland and Chimaev, but there were more than 100 people backstage, something White says won’t happen again.

Shortly after it was canceled Holland took to Twitter to roast Chimaev.

“Just so everyone knows. I offered that clown a free beard trim. I don’t know anywhere in the US that would offer that service free! I am precise I promise I would not knick him. At your service just like the hotel staff bro.”

According to Ariel Helwani, “Khamzat Chimaev push kicked Holland in the chest. Chimaev was reacting to things Holland has said recently and it set him off, I’m told. Once that was broken up the Chimaev-Diaz part of the story popped off and then the bottles started flying.”

Chimaev also took to social media, “I told them not to play with us. Kevin and Nate got what they deserved,” he says, according to a translation from Giorgi Kokiashvili.

It appears as though the teams are still fighting, hours removed from the incident.

Dana White, Ariel Helwani explainswhat happened backstage at the UFC 279 press conference

White called off the media scrum shortly after Holland and Rodriguez answered some questions.

This is first time that a UFC press conference has been cut short and canceled.

Reporters backstage who witnessed the moment had difficulty putting it into words.

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