Khamzat Chimaev shares son's health struggles in rare revelation about family life
Khamzat Chimaev has largely kept his family life away from the public spotlight. Nevertheless, 'Borz' has now shed light on his son's health issues and his approach toward it.
Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) swiftly ascended to superstardom after his UFC promotional debut in 2020. Born in Chechnya, Russia, he moved to Sweden as a youngster and represented the nation in wrestling and MMA. He eventually shifted to the U.A.E. and currently represents the Middle Eastern nation.
Khamzat Chimaev faces ex-UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the co-headlining match of UFC 308 next. The event transpires at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., on Oct. 26, 2024.
In a recent interview with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Chimaev discussed various topics, including his health issues and other challenges he's faced in the personal realm.
When asked about a recent video of him speaking about overcoming depression, the 30-year-old indicated that shifting base from Sweden to the U.A.E. took a toll on him. Chimaev implied that he's had to train with a new team whilst also maintaining a connection with Sweden's Allstars Training Center, the gym he trained at for many years while living in the European nation.
'Borz' underscored that the documentation and other logistical obligations that come with moving to a different nation proved challenging when complemented with his grueling training schedule. When asked if he'll return to Russia after his upcoming fight, Chimaev, who got married in May 2022, shed light on his son's health struggles:
"No. I going back to Sweden. My son has one surgery, has second one. But everything is good, thanks God, but one more after the fight. So after that, my son will be healthy. So yeah. Let's see."
Upon being asked how old his son is, 'Borz' said:
"One and a half."
Asked if he's his only son, Chimaev said:
"Yeah, only one."
In response to being questioned about fatherhood, Chimaev answered:
"Difficult. So I don't know. So it's fun. Yeah."
Explaining what kind of surgery his son is getting, Khamzat Chimaev noted:
"He has one kidney. Some problem, I don't know what that calls in English. So, but they say usually a lot of kids has it. So thanks God, he's healthy, he's speaking, you know. So he's going, running. He's happy."
Check out Khamzat Chimaev's comments below (7:40):
Khamzat Chimaev prioritizes family over fighting
Elsewhere during their aforementioned conversation, Brett Okamoto asked Khamzat Chimaev whether his being in the U.A.E. to compete at UFC 308 and his son dealing with health challenges elsewhere was possibly distracting him. 'Borz' replied by asserting:
"Yeah. Of course, bothering you, operation, surgery. It's hard. When somebody from your family, bigger one, than my brother, my sister, anyone gets, it's hard. You think about that. But when it's your kid, it's different. You feels about it. You think about it, you know. So for me, most important my family, not the fighting game. So this one, of course, I think about them more." [9:30-minute mark of the interview]
Presently, UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis is expected to defend his belt in a rematch against Sean Strickland. It's believed that the winner of Whittaker vs. Chimaev would likely face the winner of du Plessis vs. Strickland for the title.