We may not have seen the last of Khamzat Chimaev inside an Octagon.
After teasing his retirement in March, the 26-year-old stated he is ready to return to action. This comes after suffering side effects from COVID-19 that delayed multiple bout agreements with Leon Edwards. Coughing up blood, Chimaev concerned everyone in the MMA community.
UFC President Dana White, however, insisted that Chimaev will be fighting again this year. This was also stated by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Ali Abdelaziz, Chimaev's manager, told MMA Junkie that Chimaev will be ready to go. He also stated that Chimaev will be as aggressive as ever.
“He had a procedure,” Abdelaziz stated. “Actually, his first day of training was three days ago. He’s coming back with a vengeance, man. He has so much to prove. He was the guy main-eventing. Guess what? COVID rules the world right now, and COVID got him. You see Alexander (Volkanovski), the (UFC) featherweight champion. I hope he’s OK. He had some problems with it. Khamzat had some problems with it. Now he’s 100 percent healthy. He’s back training this week or last week.”
Chimaev made his MMA debut in 2018. He fought three times for the UFC, winning all three bouts. Born in Chechnya, Chimaev last fought Gerald Meerschart in September, beating him via KO.
As far as when exactly he will fight, Abdelaziz believes it won't be for a while. He did say, however, that nothing can stop Chimaev.
“We’ll see him at the end of July (or) August,” Abdelaziz went on to say. “Even Dana (White) was asking me the other day. I told him the end of July or August he’ll fight. I told Sean (Shelby), too. Realistically, I think it’s time to slow it down a little bit, but I think he’s going to make a (bigger) statement on the comeback. He’s going to keep climbing. He’s a special talent. He’s a superstar, I believe, in the making. All of us will see. Everyone who understands MMA will understand what Khamzat brings. It is what it is, and we have to move on. Sickness can’t control that.”
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