Khamzat Chimaev's social media update sparks fan panic over possible pull-out from Dricus du Plessis fight: "Prepping for the dropout!"

Fans criticized Khamzat Chimaev after a photo of his hand with blisters, presumably caused by intense training or infection, went viral.

Chimaev is expected to challenge middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. However, the photo in question and Chimaev's repeated pull-outs from fights due to health issues in recent years sparked a debate online.

@Home_of_Fight re-shared the picture of Chimaev's hand, originally shared on his Instagram story, on X.

Check out the post below:

Fans flooded the comments section and shared their thoughts on Chimaev. A vast majority of fans criticized Chimaev for his repeated bout cancellations, while a few commented that way too much was being speculated off one single picture.

One fan commented:

"Prepping for the dropout!"

Another fan wrote:

"The pull out merchant better show up."

Check out more fan reactions below:

Fan reactions

Du Plessis vs. Chimaev has been marred by rumors of potential cancellation even before it was announced. No.3-ranked contender Nassourdine Imavov has been reserved as a backup fighter in case any of the fighters are forced to pull out.

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Khamzat Chimaev training with Olympic medalist ahead of his clash against Dricus du Plessis

Khamzat Chimaev's aggressive wrestling is regarded as the most effective aspect of his fighting style as he prepares to challenge Dricus du Plessis. While Chimaev's wrestling is top-notch in the MMA realm, his credentials are nowhere near some of the most elite pure wrestlers in the Caucasus region.

Recently, Chimaev shared a video of himself training in wrestling with Russian wrestler Abdulrashid Sadulaev as a part of his training camp.

Check out the video below:

Considered one of the world's best wrestlers, Sadulaev, popularly known as 'The Russian Tank', boasts two Olympic gold medals and six world championships to his name.

Chimaev's wrestling was already considered a significant threat to du Plessis. However, fan reactions to the video suggest a bigger concern for the South African champion with Sadulaev's addition to Chimaev's training camp.

Du Plessis vs. Chimaev will headline the UFC 319 event, scheduled for Aug. 16, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The event will mark the promotion's first visit to Chicago