"Did he cheat?" - Josh Thomson and 'Big' John McCarthy discuss if the controversial 'no-glove touch' by Khamzat Chimaev against Kevin Holland was cheating

Khamzat Chimaev was involved in a lot of controversy throughout the UFC 279 fight week.

Following an altercation with Paulo Costa at the UFC Performance Institute, Chimaev was involved in a backstage brawl that led to the UFC 279 press conference being canceled. He would go on to miss weight by 7.5 pounds, forcing the UFC to reshuffle the card.

Rather than headlining the card against Nate Diaz, as originally planned, Chimaev would go on to face Kevin Holland. 'Borz' was once again involved in controversy during and after his fight, as he seemingly faked a glove touch before taking Holland down, then used his post-fight interview to compare himself to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

Josh Thomson and John McCarthy discussed the 'no-glove touch' on their podcast WEIGHING IN.

John McCarthy began the discussion by referring to Khamzat Chimaev's fake glove touch and asking Thomson, "Didn't he cheat?" Josh Thomson responded:

"I don't know. What, did he cheat?... That's not cheating, that's being a poor sport."

McCarthy followed this up by adding:

"People, let's make this as clear as we can. There's that whole thing of protect yourself at all times, and as soon as that referee starts the fight, I tell the guys this all the time - you wanna go out there, you wanna touch gloves, you wanna hug, and all that stuff - hey, that's okay, go ahead, it's on you, but don't be upset when he goes and he either takes your legs out or he lands a shot on you while you're trying to give a hug. I started the fight, started that round, it's on you."

While the move may not have been the best show of sportsmanship on Khamzat Chimaev's part, nothing about it was 'cheating', as it was a perfectly legal move.

The controversy leading up to the fight likely turned many against the Chechen-born Swede, which is possibly why many have called the move cheating.

Watch Josh Thomson and John McCarthy's full comments on Khamzat Chimaev below (McCarthy's comments start at the 15:15 mark):

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What's next for Khamzat Chimaev?

Following all of the controversy at UFC 279, a move to middleweight could be in Khamzat Chimaev's future. If he is truly struggling to make weight at welterweight, it would make sense for Chimaev to go up a weight class. He has previously hinted at the move, suggesting a title fight against Israel Adesanya.

While 'Borz' is unlikely to get an immediate title shot, he could take on Paulo Costa in a potential matchup before entering the title picture.

Chimaev could also stay at welterweight, and if he is able to cut weight and defeat someone like Colby Covington, a title shot would be inevitable.