When legendary ex-MMA referee called out UFC over Khamzat Chimaev's record setting performance

Khamzat Chimaev is currently one of the rising UFC superstars. However, a few years ago, retired MMA referee John McCarthy took a dig at the UFC for hyping up Chimaev for a record-setting performance in the promotion.

After his debut in July 2020, 'Borz' competed three times within three months, winning all of his fights in that same year. During his third fight, the UFC consistently hyped up the buzz surrounding Chimaev, aiming for him to achieve an impressive milestone in the promotion.

Interestingly, McCarthy, the retired UFC referee, expressed criticism about this situation. He raised the issue by pointing out that Royce Gracie once defeated three opponents in a single night at UFC 1. With this, McCarthy seemed to urge the promotion to remember the accomplishments of old fighters. He said:

"Sorry @ufc & @MeganOlivi but to say if @KChimaev gets a win tonight he sets a record for fastest time to win 3 fights in the UFC??? How about a guy named @realroyce who did it in 1 night at UFC 1 and then 4 more at UFC 2. Fake stats.The kid is great, but don’t forget the old guys"

Check out John McCarthy's post below:

Soon after McCarthy's callout, UFC color commentator Jon Anik stepped in to address the concerns. In response to the retired UFC referee's post, Anik pointed out the differences between the old and modern eras of UFC to help clarify any possible confusion McCarthy might have had.

Anik said:

"My man. With all due respect to the legend and those bygone days when fighting multiple times in a night was permitted, this was a modern-era distinction. Perhaps we lacked clarity on that, but to suggest there was any intent to disrespect/forget is a reach, my brother."

Check out Jon Anik's reply below:

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A look into Khamzat Chimaev's UFC career after achieving the fastest three-fight win streak

Khamzat Chimaev returned to fight after a year in October 2021, where he secured a first-round submission win over Li Jingliang at UFC 267. After another dominating fight performance, Chimaev solidified his position to take on some formidable challengers in the welterweight division.

At UFC 273, 'Borz' defeated Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision in a hard-fought three-round battle. Despite some questions about the hype surrounding Chimaev after that fight, the Chechen native delivered another dominating performance, beating Kevin Holland via first-round submission.

In his last two fights, Chimaev returned to the UFC middleweight division. After defeating Kamaru Usman via majority decision and Robert Whittaker via submission, 'Borz' is currently in talks for a potential title fight against the 185-pound champion, Dricus du Plessis. However, the UFC executives have yet to make an official announcement regarding the matchup.