Khamzat Chimaev’s seemingly harmless endorsement of a meme-themed crypto coin landed him in sizzling water with struggle followers after it appeared he had defrauded them.
In early July, Chimaev shared a video on X selling SMASH coin, a cryptocurrency named after the undefeated UFC famous person. Contemplating what number of athletes, influencers, and celebrities have taken to selling crypto in recent times, it was in no way stunning.
Nonetheless, it rapidly grew to become clear that one thing wasn’t proper.
Crypto sleuth ZachXBT found that 78% of the SMASH coin provide had been bought by insiders. Inside 24 hours, the worth had dropped a whopping 96% leaving early adopters with nothing, however a complete lot of frustration.
Khamzat Chimaev locations blame on his administration staff
Because the controversy brewed, Chimaev deleted all the pieces that tied him to the meme-coin, but it surely wasn’t till a latest interview with Aslanbek Badaev that he truly addressed the accusations head-on, putting the blame on his supervisor for merely trusting the incorrect folks.
“Properly, my supervisor… you’ll be able to say acted stupidly and I additionally made a mistake on this crypto. I don’t perceive [crypto] in any respect, I belief my supervisor. You may say I requested folks if I might belief them, my folks stated I can belief them. Make this video, like some other athlete, most likely doesn’t know what crypto is and the way it works. I don’t know for certain. I don’t even have time to have a look at what it’s.
“I made a video after which made an commercial as they informed me and that they may ship me cash. Properly, these persons are additionally misplaced now. We’re in search of them. One was discovered. They compelled him to make a video [explaining] that it’s their fault. We’ll discover the others too and we’ll make them apologize for it.“
Chimaev’s supervisor, Majdi Shammas, had already taken accountability for placing his fighter’s title on the cryptocurrency rip-off and made it clear that ‘Borz’ was under no circumstances concerned in any try and commit fraud.
Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to headline UFC Saudi Arabia in June, however the 14-0 fighter was compelled to bow out after changing into “violently unwell” on account of an undisclosed sickness. ‘Borz’ is already planning to return at UFC 308 in October when the promotion makes its annual pit cease in Abu Dhabi, although no official bulletins have been made.
