Khamzat Chimaev’s seemingly innocent endorsement of a meme-themed crypto coin landed him in hot water with fight fans after it appeared he had defrauded them.
In early July, Chimaev shared a video on X promoting SMASH coin, a cryptocurrency named after the undefeated UFC superstar. Considering how many athletes, influencers, and celebrities have taken to promoting crypto in recent years, it was by no means surprising.
However, it quickly became clear that something wasn’t right.