UFC Flies Khamzat Chimaev to U.S. for Medical Treatment to Combat Ongoing COVID Issues

Khamzat Chimaev will continue his battle against the lingering health issues from COVID-19 in the United States.

According to a report from ESPN, the UFC is flying the welterweight prospect into Las Vegas to receive additional medical care. Chimaev was forced to withdraw from a March 13 headlining clash with Leon Edwards due to onging symptoms from the coronavirus. The goal is for Chimaev to fight in June, but his longterm health will be the primary concern.

Last week, in a video released on Frontkick.online's YouTube channel, manager Majdi Shammas revealed that Chimaev “thought he was going to die” after one recent training session.

“He was really bad. He didn’t even do two rounds straight. He did one round and then rested,” Shammas said. “He started coughing, started feeling ill again, and we had to cancel the training. He even went in an ambulance to the hospital.”

Chimaev was a breakout star in 2020, earning dominant finishes of John Phillips, Rhys McKee and Gerald Meerschaert to quickly become of person of interest in the UFC at 170 pounds. He was initially booked against Edwards at UFC Fight Night 183 on Dec. 19, but that was fight was scrapped after Edwards tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, ongoing problems from Chimaev’s own battle with the virus resulted in cancellations of the matchup with Edwards on Jan. 20 and March 13. The UFC is expected to move on from the fight and seek a different opponent for Edwards.