Weigh to go: Chimaev accused of leaning on towel as star suffers scales drama ahead of 1st fight in 13 months at UFC 267 (VIDEO)

Chechen-born star Khamzat Chimaev's first weigh-in for 13 months has been branded a "disaster" after the octagon sensation needed three attempts ahead of UFC 267, including accusations that he used a towel to his advantage.

Unbeaten Chimaev has not fought since he battered Gerard Meerschaert in September 2020 and has suffered a much-publicized battle to recover from Covid, making the prospect of coming in within the 171lb limit an unfamiliar one for 'Borz' ahead of his lightweight bout with Li Jingliang on his much-anticipated return.

After initially registering half a pound over the target at the Etihad Arena ceremony, there was drama as the last fighter to step up to the scales appeared to be placing some of his weight on a towel for his second attempt 45 minutes later.

That led to officials declaring that there had been a problem with the scales, and Chimaev facing a race against the remaining 15 minutes of his allocated hour in which to make weight.

"Sixty-six?" asked bemused UFC weigh-ins official Heidi Dean. "He lost five pounds?”

That would have been quite a feat in such a short space of time even for a man with Chimaev's spectacular speed, the newcomer having blasted out two opponents in ten days in his first fights for the promotion last July and beaten Meerschaert in just 17 seconds.

Fortunately for the feared powerhouse, Chimaev's final effort of his nervy weigh-in saw him hit the numbers while holding his arms up so that there were no further murmurings of discontent.

While the social media favorite's legion of admirers applauded his eventual weigh-in within the limits, the bizarre footage also drew a barrage of memes and jokes, with some jibing that Chimaev would have been well-advised to shave his familiar thick beard and others suggesting he should move up weights.

"Why is he allowed to hold the towel?" asked one viewer, while MMA Junkie called his ordeal a "disaster" and another fan said: "He is a huge 170er. We will see how the cuts affect his career in this weight class."

Chimaev can perhaps be forgiven a little rustiness in light of his enforced absence from the sport during a grim bout of Covid that saw him wonder whether he would die and pledge to retire from the sport.

Promotion president Dana White and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov were among his admirers who claimed credit for persuading the 27-year-old not to admit the first defeat of his hugely promising career by hanging up his gloves.

Once he was off the scales, Chimaev wore a hoodie and jeans as he engaged in an intense face-off with suited Li, who has won ten of his 14 fights since joining the UFC in 2014.

Li's opponent smirked at his promise that he is "hungry", promising to "eat" the 11th-ranked man in the division as Chimaev looks to put his title ambitions back on track after a long wait for his return to action.