Dana White on Khamzat Chimaev – “He’s got stuff going on in personal life”
Undefeated mixed martial arts star Khamzat Chimaev has not fought since his first-round submission win over Kevin Holland in September 2022.
Chimaev, 12-0, fought just once for the UFC in 2021 and then two times last year.
Speaking with veteran MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter, UFC President Dana White said it is not for a lack of the UFC trying as to why the 29-year-old Russian has been inactive.
Dana White with an update on Khamzat Chimaev.
20 minutes with Dana White: https://t.co/6lu9JeHIwO pic.twitter.com/Gvc2pNcn19
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 6, 2023
The issues do not lie with the quality of opponents offered, or visa complications that would prevent Chimaev from fighting in the U.S. Instead, they are personal issues that White did not divulge.
“That’s on him though. He’s got stuff going on in personal life. It’s not because we’re not getting him a fight,” White said. “You know how it goes here, I talk about this all the time, we have to get guys three fights a year. If we don’t get guys three fights a year, we have to pay them. The only way that wouldn’t happen, is if they have personal stuff going on.”
While there is no exact date on Chimaev’s return, there has been discussions about him moving up to middleweight permanently following issues cutting down to welterweight.
