Before he took on Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, Khamzat Chimaev’s future in the promotion was under a cloud of doubt. From being one of the most active fighters in the UFC, he had gone on a year-long layoff and even pulled out of PPVs at the 11th hour. Borz was dealing with a lot of health issues at the time, including a weak immune system and injuries that required more than a few surgeries.
In a tell-all interview with Adam Zuba on YouTube, the Russian fighter spoke about the different procedures he underwent in the past few years. The frequency of the injuries and ailments made it so difficult that Chimaev even mulled retiring from the sport.
“It is no secret, I used to get sick quite often,” elaborated Khamzat. “Overall, I’ve had five or six surgeries so far and seven or eight fractures… I put myself together. Doctors told me so many times I wouldn’t be able to fight. I had some issues ahead of the [Kamaru] Usman fight too. I just didn’t tell anybody about it.”
In the past, many of his former teammates have spoken about Chimaev’s health struggles and what manifested them. Former light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson once told the media about how Chimaev kept pushing his body to the limit every training session and did not get enough recovery in.
The human body can only take so much before it starts breaking down. And the undefeated Chimaev soon realized he could not possibly win against the body when it’s rebelling.
Chimaev had to pull out of some big fights because he would fall sick just days before. He would get a high fever and the body would just shut down.
Chimaev has now learned his lesson and understands the value of rest and recovery better.
“The point is, I train very hard. I am always grinding in the gym,” said the Russian. “So when you train non-stop, your immune system gets weakened. But fans don’t know. They always want to shake your hands or hug you. So when your immune system is weak, you can catch some infections.”
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Despite the struggles, Borz was just one big win away from announcing to the world that he is still a genuine contender for the title. And that victory came against Whittaker.
Dana White wants Chimaev for the title
The title shot has long eluded Chimaev. And the main problem was not the opponents. Had he stayed healthy, there’s a good chance his name would already have been etched on the title belt.
But now that the health factor seems sorted thanks to his new team, UFC president White wants to see him fight in the United States for the middleweight title.
“This guy’s never looked better, especially against the competition that he had. I’m looking forward to him getting a title fight in ’25….I want him to fight in the United States. I want him to fight for a title here in the U.S,” said White.
Chimaev is a global star with an army of fans even in the United States. So opting to fight just in the UAE doesn’t make sense if he wants to transform himself from a popular fighter to a superstar champ.
