Video: Khamzat Chimaev, Gerald Meerschaert verbally spar over jiu-jitsu credentials

LAS VEGAS – Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t find Gerald Meerschaert up to the standard of being a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

Chimaev questioned Meerschaert about his jiu-jitsu credentials in a heated dispute during Thursday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 news conference ahead of their middleweight clash Saturday night at the UFC Apex.

This isn’t the first time the two have disputed in the lead-up to their bout, as they had a brief run-in earlier this week at the host hotel. It all started with Meerschaert taking offense to Chimaev looking past him and planning bouts for the near future, banking on getting another victory this Saturday.

Chimaev, a 26-year-old prospect from Chechnya, is off to a 2-0 start in the UFC after winning two fights in a 10-day span last month in Abu Dhabi.

You can watch the back-and-forth between Chimaev and Meerschaert in the video above.