Chimaev Blasts Danis After 1-Minute RAF 10 Win Sparks Brawl

Q: Was the viral Chimaev-Danis brawl a calculated publicity stunt by the new RAF wrestling league?

There is no solid evidence that the Chimaev-Danis brawl was a staged publicity stunt, but it clearly benefited RAF by generating the kind of viral attention the young league has shown it can use. The known facts point more strongly to a real escalation than a scripted one. Chimaev pinned Danis quickly, Danis reportedly kept hold of Chimaev’s leg after the whistle, and Chimaev responded by kicking him, triggering a melee involving both camps and security. That sequence is consistent with a genuine loss of control, especially given Danis’ long record of post-fight chaos, including UFC 229, his Logan Paul boxing disqualification, and later altercations that led to a UFC ban. At the same time, RAF’s business model appears to welcome controversy. The league is new, airs on FOX Nation, and has already had another ugly team incident involving Arman Tsarukyan and Georgio Poullas. Chimaev and Danis were also a made-for-virality main event: Chimaev is a major MMA name making his RAF debut, while Danis is a proven attention magnet. Their pre-event friction helped build buzz, even if the post-match brawl itself was not prearranged. So the most defensible answer is that the fight card was designed to attract drama, but the available reporting does not prove the brawl itself was calculated theater. RAF likely capitalized on the chaos; that is different from demonstrating it orchestrated it.

3 articles · Updated · MMA Fighting · Jun 14

Chimaev said Sunday he was not surprised RAF 10 descended into chaos, calling Danis an "idiot" after their grappling match ended in a stage-clearing melee.
The brawl erupted seconds after Chimaev pinned Danis in the first period, when Danis kept hold of his foot during the break and Chimaev kicked his leg as officials tried to separate them.
RAF officials have not decided whether the incident will affect either fighter's future with the promotion, which hosted Chimaev's debut in St. Louis.
Chimaev said he still welcomes a street fight with Danis, reviving a challenge he had floated before the match after a week of trash talk.