UFC welterweight prospect Khamzat Chimaev's brother is speaking out on the fighter's continued battle with and recovery from COVID-19.
Chimaev made a since-deleted post on his Instagram on Monday, March 1 hinting at his potential retirement from the sport. Since then UFC President Dana White has refuted the message claiming the undefeated rising star would return in June and even Chechnyan leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a man suspected of multiple human rights violations, also came out with a post on the department of Chechnya's tourism's Instagram page in a lengthy statement saying Chimaev would return to the republic soon to begin rehabilitating from the virus.
“During our conversation, Chimaev realized how important his career is for every Chechen and promised to make every effort to recover as soon as possible," Kadyrov wrote (h/t MMAFighting). "In the near future, he will fly to the republic, where he will complete a rehabilitation course, hold a training camp and start training. And this means that Khamzat does not leave, HE REMAINS AND WILL FIGHT TO THE END!"
Artur Chimaev the brother of the Octagon contender, spoke with the news outlet Dagens Kalmar about Khamzat's toughest fight so far which has been with COVID-19.
“He has not fully recovered. There are some points on the right lung that are not completely restored. Khamzat had been given antibiotics and after two weeks he thought it was okay to train again,” Artur Chimaev said (h/t BJPenn.com). “He was completely finished. The lungs could not cope, he began to cough up blood and became frightened, he became depressed, this means so much to him. I’ve told him to calm down, to give it time. That this disease affects different people differently. He said that he has decided to continue now. But that it will take some time. I told him to rest for two or three months. Then it will be good,”
Khamzat Chimaev wrote that he thinks he's "done" in an Instagram post on Monday evening.
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 2, 2021
Dana White later said he spoke to Chimaev and the post was a result of the fighter getting "emotional" after training. pic.twitter.com/F9Gdjb8PyA
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