Khamzat Chimaev undeniably stands out as one of the most promising talents on the UFC's current roster. 'Borz' swiftly carved his path to prominence within the MMA promotion, captivating audiences with his explosive fighting flair and masterful technique.
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Chimaev once garnered praise for his remarkable achievement of participating in three consecutive bouts within a mere 66 days. Following his bout against Kevin Holland at UFC 279 in September 2022, the 29-year-old Chechen fighter only stepped into the octagon once last year. His otherwise undefeated UFC journey has been plagued by a series of unfortunate health challenges and setbacks. However, little is known about the severity of the illness that 'Borz' battled following his matchup against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 last October.
What happened to Khamzat Chimaev?
Khamzat Chimaev stayed out of the spotlight following his seventh consecutive victory, earned with a hard-fought majority decision against Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of UFC 294.
In January, 'Borz' took to X to share a series of unsettling images depicting his health battles, showcasing his visibly swollen face in a post that has since been deleted. Additionally, he grappled with a severe infection spreading across his upper body, necessitating his admission to a hospital where he required ventilator support. Along with the photos, Chimaev wrote:
"I was very sick my hand was injured so I couldn't return right away. I want to tell all the fans, I want to see myself in battle more than all of you, I love this job, I will do and prove that I am the best, as always we do, and I will be back soon to Insha'Allah training."
Check out Khamzat Chimaev's now-deleted post below:
Chimaev endured a torn ligament in his hand during his bout against 'The Nigerian Nightmare'. Despite a dominant performance in the first round, Chimaev initially worried that he had fractured his hand, impacting his offensive capabilities for the rest of the fight.
When Khamzat Chimaev considered retirement during his battle with COVID-19
Khamzat Chimaev was set to square off against Leon Edwards at UFC Vegas 17 in December 2021, but their matchup was postponed to January and subsequently to March due to both fighters testing positive for COVID-19.
It later emerged that Chimaev's condition deteriorated considerably when he chose to ignore medical advice and return to training less than a month after testing positive for the virus. 'Borz' experienced severe respiratory issues and began coughing up blood during his training sessions.
Amid this period, Chimaev found himself isolated in the USA while his team remained in Sweden. Experiencing the physical toll of the virus and grappling with the emotional distress of being separated from his training partners, 'Borz' abruptly declared his retirement on social media, attributing it to the impact of COVID-19.
However, Chimaev later deleted his post, and UFC CEO Dana White subsequently affirmed that Chimaev had no intentions of retiring from the sport anytime soon.
