Khamzat Chimaev is facing another setback in his career due to health issues.
Khamzat, who was scheduled to headline UFC Saudi Arabia against Robert Whittaker on June 22, has been forced to withdraw from the event due to illness.
Chimaev’s manager, Majdi Shammas, took to Instagram shortly after the news broke out – to shed light on the severity of the situation and explain the circumstances surrounding the fighter’s health.
In his statement, Shammas emphasized the seriousness of Chimaev’s condition, detailing how the illness has impacted his ability to train and prepare for the bout:
The persistent illness that Khamzat has been battling for major parts of training camp could not be cured in time.
He has been in and out of hospitals several times.
The condition has been kept within the team, since everyone has been absolutely committed to finding a solution.Although all available options have been thoroughly considered, it has now come to a point where the team has mutually agreed that it is not possible to carry on like this.
Stepping into the cage not properly prepared against such a formidable opponent as Robert is unfortunately impossible.
He continues to explain:
This is a devastating turn of events for Khamzat, his coaches, training partners and other members of the team…
But everything happens for a reason and god has his own plans, the goals remain the same.
Khamzat and team will now get to the bottom of the cause of the issues, and he will come back even stronger.This is unfortunately a part of the fight game and as soon as Khamzat is healthy, his much-anticipated return to the Octagon will be immediately rescheduled.
Khamzat Chimaev has been dealing with significant health issues that have impacted his career. Most notably, he has experienced lingering effects from a severe bout with COVID-19, which initially struck him in late 2020. This illness led to the cancellation of several fights and even prompted a brief retirement due to severe lung complications. Although he eventually returned to the octagon, he has faced ongoing health challenges, including a recent mysterious illness that caused visible symptoms like swelling and rashes.
Chimaev’s health struggles have raised concerns among fans and the MMA community, as these issues have repeatedly disrupted his training and competition schedule. Despite these setbacks, Chimaev continues to work towards recovery and aims to return to fighting form.
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