Welterweight Nurmagomedov had words for Chimaev after the UFC newcomer appeared to take aim at the retired champion, claiming he would "tear him apart if he wants" in a remark responding to curious comments about the Russian by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

The 31-year-old alluded to Chimaev's asylum in Sweden, where he developed into a UFC breakthrough star, and seemed unimpressed with that warning to the unbeaten sporting icon.

"I see you quickly changed your shoes," Nurmagomedov told Chimaev in a post made to his following of more than 761,000 on Instagram, accompanying his words with a photo of himself starting into the camera in sunglasses while relaxing in a cafe.

"After moving to Sweden and writing a complaint against your own Chechen Republic that you are being infringed upon, you received documents for a good life in Sweden.

"But now, having gained fame, you, I see, have changed. Now you have come back and live in Chechnya, and everything is fine with you. I'm happy for you. Don't lose this comfort zone.

"Not long ago in America, you sat at the same table with us and ate, trained in the same gym, went to the Mosque together and called us brothers.

"And now you write that you will tear someone up. Yes, I agree, everyone has the right to express their opinion. But be careful with your statements."

He later told Chimaev to "answer for yourself personally" after he said he had chosen to "talk about Dagestanis" in his reply.