It was already known that Khamzat Chimaev wasn’t in the picture for a middleweight title shot against Sean Strickland at the upcoming UFC 297 event later this month due to having a torn ligament in his hand, but now he’s revealed that he’s also been ‘very sick’ too.
“I was very sick, my hand was injured, so I couldn’t return right away,” Chimaev wrote in a post on X that was later translated into English. “I want to tell all the fountains, I want to see myself in battle more than all of you. I love this job. I will do and prove that I am the best, as always we do, and I will be back soon to Insha’Allal training.”
Curiously, Chimaev has since deleted his post, which also had photos, including one that showed him wearing an oxygen mask.
Khamzat Chimaev posted and then deleted a picture of himself saying he was very sick pic.twitter.com/RDQnhmnOce
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) January 3, 2024
It’s not the first time Chimaev has had a health scare as back at the height of the pandemic the star had a prolonged battle with Covid, to the extent that at one stage he hinted his career might be over after coughing up blood following a training session.
He eventually got back to full fitness months later though after seeking help from medical specialists in the U.S. and has since gone on to win four fights, extending his record to a perfect 13-0.
Though Chimaev’s now-deleted message earlier today is concerning he has since posted again with a more positive message for his fans, stating, “I’m coming back for my belt.”
