Khamzat Chimaev’s withdrawal from UFC Saudi Arabia was a big blow for the promotion. But now Dana White has already begun planning a new date for Chimaev’s return to the octagon. Initially, “Borz” was scheduled to face Robert Whittaker in the main event in Riyadh. However, a severe illness ruled him out of the bout and it is still uncertain when he will fight again. Chimaev is a dreaded fighter in both the middleweight and welterweight divisions, but he has faced several health issues throughout his career.
The Russian fighter even announced his retirement in 2021 after suffering from a serious illness, but came back and scored wins over top fighters like Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns.
White hinted at UFC 308 for Chimaev’s potential return
UFC President Dana White has hinted at UFC 308 as a potential date for Chimaev’s return during a recent post-fight press conference. UFC 308 is scheduled for October 26 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, which will mark the promotion’s 20th event there. Chimaev’s last appearance in the UFC octagon was on October 21, 2023, at UFC 294, where he defeated Usman via majority decision. Prior to that, he endured a tumultuous period, including missing weight at UFC 279 that led to his bout with Nate Diaz being canceled and then a hurriedly scheduled fight with Kevin Holland.
Chimaev’s training partner gave insight about the fighter
Former world title contender and Chimaev’s longtime training partner, Alexander Gustafsson, has given insight into the fighter’s health problems. During an interview, he revealed that Chimaev has always struggled with colds and illnesses, which have gotten worse with intense training.
“There is something in his body that reacts to hard training because he is the hardest-working guy in the room. They have to run some tests and see what the background is,” said Gustafsson.
Despite these health challenges, Gustafsson believes that Khamzat has the ability to beat the top fighter in his division. Gustafsson stated that Chimaev could still score wins against fighters such as Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya. MMA fans are eagerly waiting for the Russian fighter’s return and they are hopeful that he will overcome his health problems and continue to fight. Khamzat currently ranks at #11 in the UFC Middleweight rankings. He still has an undefeated record in MMA. Chimaev made his UFC debut in 2020 and has graced the octagon with several stunning performances. If he recovers from his illness and continues to fight in professional MMA, he might get a shot at the middleweight or welterweight title.
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