"I want to fight in Saudi Arabia" - Khamzat Chimaev reveals potential timeline for UFC return
In a recent interview with Fight Club Rush MMA, UFC superstar Khamzat Chimaev pegged UFC's inaugural Saudi Arabia card this summer as a potential timeline for his return.
'Borz' was last seen in a majority decision win against former pound-for-pound king Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 last October.
Although Dana White wanted to pair him against the then-middleweight champion Sean Strickland following the win, the bout never came to fruition.
While the Chechen-born fighter has since called out many marquee names, he has yet to find a dancing partner for his return. During the interview with FCR MMA, Chimaev said:
"In the summer, I think in the summer [I] will be back. So, I want to fight in Saudi Arabia, but, I don't think anyone wants to fight me there. So, we'll see what's going to happen. So, just waiting for something."
Furthermore, Chimaev said that he was offered a spot on the UFC 300 fight card but had to let go of the opportunity owing to the pay-per-view being slated so close to Ramadan:
"They wanted me to fight 300, but I said it's too short [a] time for 77 kg. So, need a bit of time... My brother said to me, 'not in Ramadan.' So after Ramadan, we [will] take some time in camp, and then we [can] fight anyone."
Catch Khamzat Chimaev's comments below (6:12):
The 29-year-old (13-0) is undefeated in his MMA career and holds wins against the likes of Gilbert Burns, Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang, among others.
Dana White refutes Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev for UFC Riyadh
The UFC is set to host its inaugural event in Saudia Arabia on June 22 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Earlier this week, MMA fans were sent into a frenzy when a website purportedly representing the Kingdom Arena circulated a link for Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
The supposed leak fueled rumors that the two superstars would headline the Riyadh card. However, the news has since been discredited by Dana White.
In an Instagram story, the UFC CEO vehemently refuted the rumors surrounding the fight card, criticizing the media for fueling such fake narratives.
