Khamzat Chimaev’s manager releases statement on Saudi Arabia withdrawal

Khamzat Chimaev is out of his highly anticipated middleweight contender’s bout against Robert Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia, and while we still don’t know exactly what is wrong with “Borz,” we now have a statement from his team on his withdrawal.

The UFC announced on Thursday night (June 13th, 2024) that Chimaev would not be competing in the main event of the first UFC card in the Kingdom. CEO Dana White revealed that Khamzat was ‘violently ill’ and Ikram Aliskerov would be taking his place.

Chimaev’s manager Majdi Shammas followed that news up with a lengthy explanation.

“It’s with great disappointment announced that Khamzat Chimaev has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled fight against No. 3 ranked Robert Whittaker on June 22nd in Riyadh,” Shammas wrote.

“The persistent illness that Khamzat has been battling for major parts of training camp could not be cured in time. He has been in and out of hospitals several times. The condition has been kept within the team, since everyone has been absolutely committed to finding a solution. Although all available options have been thoroughly considered, it has now come to a point where the team has mutually agreed that it is not possible to carry on like this. Stepping into the cage not properly prepared against such a formidable opponent as Robert is unfortunately impossible.

“This is a devastating turn of events for Khamzat, his coaches, training partners and other members of the team. Headlining UFC’s first ever visit to Saudi Arabia was a great honor and something that was very much looked forward to. Although the cause is far beyond anyone’s control, a sincere apology is extended to the UFC, Dana White, Mick Maynard, Sean Shelby , Hunter Campbell, His Highness Mr. Turki Alalshikh, Robert Whittaker and his team, and most importantly to the fans who were looking forward to the bout.

“But everything happens for a reason and god has his own plans, the goals remain the same. Khamzat and team will now get to the bottom of the cause of the issues, and he will come back even stronger. This is unfortunately a part of the fight game and as soon as Khamzat is healthy, his much-anticipated return to the Octagon will be immediately rescheduled. #healthalwaysfirst”

Chimaev burst onto the international scene in 2020, winning his first three UFC fights in under two months. Those quick turnarounds stopped after a bad case of COVID-19 nearly ended his career, and Khamzat has only managed to fight four more times since the start of 2021. In January 2024 he was hit with another serious illness that left him swollen, covered in spots, and on a ventilator.

This latest withdrawal raises questions about his ability to stay healthy through tough training camps. Hopefully his team is able to pinpoint the the issue and get the Chechen fighter back into top shape.