Well, despite a worrying social media post last night, UFC president, Dana White has claimed that uber-prospect, Khamzat Chimaev isn’t calling time on his career, and expects the Chechen-born contender to push forward with plans for an Octagon return as soon as June.
Posting on his official Instagram account last night, Chimaev seemed to announce his retirement from professional mixed martial arts as he continues to deal with lingering health issues amid a positive COVID-19 test result late last year.
“I want to say thank you all so much for supporting me in my journey in this sport,” Chimaev wrote via Google Translate. “I think I’m done, yes I know I didn’t take the belt but it’s not the most important victory in this life. It may upset you but my heart and body tell me everything. I want to say a big thank you to my team @allstargymsweden. I want to say a big thank you to @ufc.”
On his official story, Chimaev also posted a picture of a bathroom sink containing droplets of blood — calling for people to take care of their family in this time, claiming the novel coronavirus “is not easily outlived“.
“Take yourself and your family this is the most important thing. The main thing is I do not know what this disease is but it is not easily outlived.”
Speaking with
MMA Junkie reporter, John Morgan, UFC president, White detailed how Chimaev, who is currently on a steroid to help deal with his lingering health issues as prescribed by doctors in Las Vegas, was “
emotional” when he made his social media posts, and how he isn’t “
quitting“.
“When he (Khamzat Chimaev) got here (Las Vegas), the doctors took care of him, and they put him on prednisone, which is a nasty f*cking steroid,” White said. “So he’s on prednisone, and he’s supposed to be taking this thing and chilling, relaxing, and letting himself recover. He went in and f*cking trained today, felt like sh*t, and got super emotional and posted that.“
“He’s not supposed to be training, but you know, this guy’s a savage,” White said. “He wants to fight every f*cking weekend, and now he can’t even train, so he just got emotional and posted that, but he ain’t quitting.”
White, who arranged for Chimaev to travel to Nevada to receive adequate treatment for his lingering health issues, informed Morgan that he still expects the 9-0 contender to return in June — but maintained he needs to rest instead of continuing preparations for a fight.
“He was flown out here so that we could take care of him,” White said. “We get him taken care of. They got him on medication. He’s going to be fine, and he goes in and starts f*cking training. He’s not supposed to be training, and he’s super frustrated. He’s training when he’s supposed to be resting. He’s got to stay off, at least while he’s on this medication.“
Forced to withdraw from his most recent scheduled matchups with Leon Edwards in January and March, Chimaev failed to obtain medical clearance to compete and prepare for competition due to his lingering health issues.
A three-fight Octagon veteran, the AllStars trainee debuted on ‘Fight Island’ in July — besting John Philips with a second frame D’arce choke, before making a record-breaking ten-day turnaround to stop Rhys McKee with opening round strikes.
Making his debut in Las Vegas last September, the finishing ace stopped Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Vegas 11 in just seventeen-seconds with a one-punch knockout.
