Despite ongoing U.S. government scrutiny regarding the relationship between UFC fighters and Chechnya’s strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, another former UFC champion has has chosen to affiliate with the dictator’s family.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt was photographed training alongside fellow UFC fighter Khamzat Chimaev and Kadyrov’s son, Ali, in Dubai last week.
Ali posted the photo himself on Instagram stories. He later shared another photo standing next to Garbrandt, who captioned the post: “Another champion arrives at camp.”
Garbrandt is the latest UFC champion to be linked to the family of Ramzan Kadyrov, who has long been accused of orchestrating human rights abuses including assassinations, abductions, torture, extrajudicial killings, and purges targeting the local LGBTQ+ community.