VIDEO: Former UFC Champion Nearly Brawls with Russian Fighter During Podcast

This former UFC champion traveled to Russia as a cornerman but almost ended up in a fight.

Drew Beaupré | Aug 31, 2023

VIDEO: Former UFC Champion Nearly Brawls with Russian Fighter During Podcast /

Former UFC champion Cody Garbrandt almost came to blows with Bibert Tumenov while the pair were recording a podcast for top Russian MMA promotion ACA.

ACA 162 is set to take place this weekend in Krasnodar, Russia, and Tumenov (younger brother of former UFC lightweight Albert Tumenov) will be headlining the event opposite two-time PFL featherweight champion Lance Palmer in the quarterfinals of the promotion’s featherweight tournament.

Palmer and Garbrandt are both longtime members of Sacramento’s Team Alpha Male, and with his teammate set to make his ACA debut against a tough opponent “No Love” made the trip over to Russia to help out in his corner.

The former UFC champion appeared with Tumenov on a podcast ahead of the event, where things nearly got violent when “Headhunter” stood up and tried make his way over to Garbrandt before both men were quickly restrained.

🔥 Биберт Туменов и Коди Гарбрандт устроили потасовку на сьемках подкаста перед #ACA162

Гарбрандт приехал в Россию, чтобы секундировать Лэнса Палмера, который подерется с Туменовым в эту субботу.

🎥 ACA MMA pic.twitter.com/umSeQ1aFen
— Вестник ММА (@VestnikMMA) August 30, 2023

“No Love” would have been giving up a bit of size if he and Tumenov had actually managed to come together, but perhaps the 32-year-old may have welcomed the fight after an injury kept him from taking on Mario Bautista at UFC 292 earlier this month.

Garbrandt will be in close proximity to Tumenov again this weekend but will have to hope his teammate Palmer is able to get the job done at ACA 162, which also features UFC veteran Michel Prazeres competing in the night’s co-main event against Abubakar Vagaev.

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA.

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.

Published Aug 31, 2023