What's the story behind Khamzat Chimaev's lip scar? Exploring how the UFC superstar got injured

UFC 308: Whittaker v Chimaev - Source: Getty
Khamzat Chimaev experiences breathing difficulty from the incident that gave him the lip scar. [Image courtesy: Getty Images]

The prominent scar on Khamzat Chimaev's upper lip is a distinguishing feature of his appearance. Chimaev was born and raised in the Chechen Republic, a region that has witnessed major conflicts over the years. As a result, many may be curious about the origin of his scar.

Ad

Interestingly, it stems from an incident that is unrelated to his background or his professional fighting career.


What's the story behind Khamzat Chimaev's lip scar?

Khamzat Chimaev got his lip scar from a fall he suffered at his home at the tender age of two. In a past interview, Chimaev recounted the version of the incident he learned from his mother. He also revealed that he still experiences breathing difficulties from his right nostril:

Ad

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

"My mom told me this, but I don't remember myself. I was two years old and we had a big staircase in our house and I fell down on the concrete. I had a ripped lip; a couple of my teeth were knocked out and I also broke my nose. I still can't breathe from my right nostril." [H/t: SPORTbible]
Ad

Chimaev made these comments more than three years ago, and it's unclear whether he has sought surgical intervention on other treatments for the breathing issue since then.


When Dricus du Plessis used Khamzat Chimaev's lip scar as a means to play mind games

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis is known for his unconventional approach to trash-talking and an uncanny ability to get inside his opponents' heads. In December 2024, du Plessis took to Instagram and posted a picture of himself with a shark on a beach.

Ad
Ad

A fan tried to troll du Plessis, referring to an old video of his coach, Morne Visser, kissing him on the lips after a victory, and commented:

"Don’t kiss [the shark] on the mouth."

In response, du Plessis took a stinging jab at Chimaev, who was on the collision course with him for the UFC middleweight title:

"No way! That’s what Khamzat tried and look how that turned out."
Ad
Dricus du Plessis' comment [Screenshot courtesy: @dricusduplessis on Instagram]
Dricus du Plessis' comment [Screenshot courtesy: @dricusduplessis on Instagram]

Du Plessis' comment did not go unnoticed as Chimaev clapped back at him with a brief post on X, writing:

Ad
"2 dead fish in one photo."

Check out Khamzat Chimaev's reply below (via @ChampRDS on X):

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Quick Links

Edited by Rajneesh Suhas Reddy
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
bell-icon Manage notifications