When Khamzat Chimaev said he didn't care about whether he fought at welterweight or middleweight
Khamzat Chimaev took MMA and the UFC by storm in 2020. Chimaev rose to prominence courtesy of his outstanding fighting skills and his willingness to engage in trash talk with potential future opponents.
A Twitter user who goes by the username 'MMA images that precede unfortunate events' (@MMAunfortunate) posted screenshots of a couple of tweets Chimaev had put forth in 2020:
The following pair of tweets date back to 5/10/2020 and 7/10/2020, respectively:
“Welterweight middleweight doesn’t matter I will be ready give me a name @danawhite.”
“@danawhite At this point does not matter give me a face date welterweight middleweight result will be the same anytime anywhere I will be ready InshAllah sorry for making your job hard.”
The tweets shed light on how Khamzat Chimaev was eager to compete as often as possible inside the octagon, be it in the welterweight or middleweight division.
The Swedish MMA stalwart, who was born in Chechnya, Russia, wasn’t shy of calling out some of the biggest names in the UFC welterweight and middleweight divisions.
Khamzat Chimaev was linked to several welterweight and middleweight matchups in the aftermath of his KO win over veteran fighter Gerald Meerschaert in September 2020. Chimaev finally received the opportunity to face a high-ranking fighter in late-2020. Chimaev was booked to fight Leon Edwards, who, at the time, was ranked No. 3 in the UFC welterweight division.
Unfortunately, Khamzat Chimaev contracted COVID-19 in the buildup to the fight. The Chimaev vs. Edwards matchup was scheduled on three separate occasions; however, the matchup fell apart every time.
Chimaev hasn't competed in an MMA fight since his win over Meerschaert.
Khamzat Chimaev’s COVID-19 affliction resulted in multiple fights cancelations and trips to the hospital
Khamzat Chimaev is regarded as one of the most talented prospects in MMA today. Many in the combat sports world have even gone as far as predicting that he could indeed hold the UFC welterweight and middleweight titles in the years to come.
Chimaev was likely to receive a UFC welterweight title shot if he’d managed to defeat Leon Edwards. However, their matchup ended up being canceled not once but thrice.
They were first scheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night 183 (December 19th, 2020), but the fight was canceled after Chimaev and Edwards tested positive for COVID-19. The fight was rescheduled to UFC Fight Night 185 (January 20th, 2021). This second date, too, saw the fight fall apart, as Khamzat Chimaev withdrew due to health complications related to COVID-19.
The UFC then booked this matchup for the third time, confirming that it’d take place at UFC Fight Night 187 (March 13th, 2021). Nevertheless, Khamzat Chimaev once again pulled out of the fight due to COVID-related health issues.
Presently, the belief is that Khamzat Chimaev is recovering from his health issues and is likely to return to the octagon later this year.
Moreover, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has reportedly claimed that Chimaev was offered a fight against him at middleweight. Rockhold revealed that Chimaev turned down both the dates offered to him.