UFC President Dana White recently discussed the extended absence of Khamzat Chimaev, a rising star in the organization, since his last bout against Kevin Holland in September 2022. Despite Chimaev’s remarkable skills and potential, no future fights have been scheduled for him.
The talented Russian MMA fighter has been on a hiatus since his impressive victory over Kevin Holland at UFC 279 last September. Despite actively calling out opponents and expressing his eagerness to compete, Chimaev has yet to secure a fight.
Dana White recently provided some insight into Chimaev’s absence, citing personal issues that have been occupying the fighter’s life.
Dana White with an update on Khamzat Chimaev.
20 minutes with Dana White: https://t.co/6lu9JeHIwO pic.twitter.com/Gvc2pNcn19
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 6, 2023
In a recent conversation with combat sports journalist Aaron Bronsteter, White commented:
“That’s on him though, he’s got stuff going on his personal life. That’s not because we’re not getting him a fight, obviously you know how it goes here, I talk about this all the time, we have to get guys three fights a year. So if we don’t get guys three fight a year we have to pay em. The only way that wouln’t happen, they have personal stuff going on.”
Speculations have been swirling around a potential showdown between Khamzat and Paulo Costa at UFC 294 in October, although no official confirmation has been made thus far.
The rumored matchup has generated significant interest among fans and analysts, fueling anticipation for a potential clash between the two fighters.
Khamzat Chimaev voices his opinion
Khamzat’s last appearance in the Octagon was at UFC 279, where he faced Kevin Holland. Initially slated to compete against Nate Diaz in the main event, Chimaev encountered a setback when he missed weight by a significant margin.
This incident raised doubts among many about his reliability in the welterweight division.
Following the UFC 279 debacle, some fans speculated that Chimaev had fallen out of favor with Dana White, associating his current hiatus with this factor. To address these assumptions, Khamzat took to Twitter to provide his perspective on the situation.
In recent tweets, Chimaev called out notable stars such as Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, Leon Edwards, and Colby Covington, expressing his eagerness to face any of them. Additionally, he directed criticism toward the UFC for the perceived lack of opportunities presented to him.
I can fight with everyone I don't care who @bullyb170 @USMAN84kg @stylebender @Leon_edwardsmma @ColbyCovMMA @robertwhittaker
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) May 8, 2023
Khamzat attributed his inactivity to the absence of fight offers from the promotion. The 29-year-old questioned the purpose of his intensive training if no fights were being arranged for him.
I have no problems with fights, if they gave me a fight, I would have fought a long time ago, I did so many training camps and not one fight, the problem is definitely not with me, prepared in dubai then to thailand, why do I train so much if there is no fight, I don’t understand
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) May 8, 2023
What is your perspective on the current status of Khamzat? When do you anticipate his next fight, and against whom?
Let us know in the comment section below.
