UFC CEO Dana White admits it’s been a problem to handle the profession of Khamzat Chimaev.
White has arguably by no means been larger on a fighter than he was on Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) when the undefeated fighter arrived on the UFC scene in 2020 and earn a record-setting three victories within the span of 66 days. He’s fought simply 4 occasions within the 45 months since then, nevertheless, and his progress was as soon as once more stinted this previous week.
Chimaev, 30, was pressured to withdraw from Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 primary occasion vs. Robert Whittaker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after he was hospitalized with a well being problem.
The specifics of Chimaev’s points stay unconfirmed, although his administration advised MMA Junkie on Monday that rumors the newest setback may result in retirement are “completely not true.” Regardless of that, White struggled to supply extra hope about Chimaev’s future throughout an interview Monday on “The Jim Rome Present,” primarily as a result of he’s considerably at the hours of darkness.
“The issue is that we actually don’t know (what’s happening),” White stated. “Each time this man will get near a struggle – I noticed video footage of him violently ailing on the bottom, and he was hospitalized once more. He hadn’t skilled for like three or 4 days, or 5 days, I can’t bear in mind what the quantity was. However we couldn’t put him right into a struggle subsequent weekend.
“These days it’s been arduous to get him into the octagon. Each time he will get near combating, he will get actually sick. I don’t know what to say. It’s not like he’s over right here on this nation and we’ve had docs have a look at him or something like that. He’s kind of out of contact, so, it’s robust to take care of.”
Within the assertion to MMA Junkie, Chimaev’s supervisor Majdi Shammas expressed optimism concerning the fighter’s restoration and vowed “he can be again.”
Chimaev, No. 9 within the newest USA TODAY Sports activities/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, final competed at UFC 294 in October the place he earned a majority choice victory over former UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman.
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