“He has a Russian passport. With this situation going on, the war, it’s hard for anyone to travel around the world with a Russian passport,” Khamzat Chimaev‘s jiu-jitsu coach Alan Nascimento had revealed last year. For those who know Borz, his living situation has always been a cause for worry. Born in Chechnya region in Russia, he moved to Sweden for a better life at 18. However, that was far from achieved, as the European nation never really opened its doors to the fighter, forcing him to relocate again.

Currently residing in the United Arab Emirates, Chimaev’s relationship with his native country was also worsening rapidly. A report by Brazilian outlet Combate caused a huge stir in the community in 2022 by reporting that Borz’s passport was confiscated in St. Petersburg. However, the fighter’s manager, Majdi Shammas, debunked the claims, resting the case. And now another such rumor has taken shape, suggesting Borz might be giving up his Russian roots.

But before we get to that, he’s certainly not the first Russian fighter to land in trouble with authorities. Amid Borz’ row with the US not allowing him in the country—given his close relation with controversial Chechen leader, Ramzan Kadyrov—Khabib Nurmagomedov reportedly tarnished his legacy owing to tax evasion.

Reports claim the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion owed Russian authorities over $3.4 million in unpaid taxes. Mash.ru and RT claimed the fighter’s paperwork showed irregularities and that he invested most of his income in Turkey and the UAE. It also claimed Nurmagomedov’s bank accounts were frozen, and that the courts wanted him to sell his $800,000 car collection to raise the funds. Thankfully, the Dagestani MMA fighter didn’t have to resort to such extreme measures and paid off the debt with his own money. On a separate note, his house was also said to be on the market, with Conor McGregor looking to purchase it. Whether the sold property was used to pay the money is currently unclear.

Other rumors included Nurmagomedov’s willingness to give up his Russian citizenship akin to Borz. Notably, Nurmagomedov’s camp later released a statement which stated, “The information about tax debt is inaccurate. Khabib continues to engage in business projects and develop them” there was nothing confirming or denying his supposed UAE citizenship.

As for Chimaev’s living situation, in the UAE and whether or not he’s applied for citizenship, the fighter bluntly revealed in a recent conversation with ‘Hustle Vlog’ and Adam Zubayraev, “No, I just got a residence permit. For 10 years or so, which can be prolonged for another 10 years. I don’t want to change my Russian citizenship for any other. I could’ve stayed in Sweden and got their citizenship. My family have got it but I am cool with my Russian citizenship.”

A Swedish citizenship is easier said than done for the 30-year-old as Nascimento had further revealed how despite being a three-time Swedish national champion and representing the country for 11 years, the European nation never granted him a citizenship despite multiple efforts.

Now, for fans wondering if Khamzat Chimaev would ever consider ditching his Russian passport, his response was crystal clear: NOT HAPPENING. “I can travel anywhere, I have been all around Europe, been to England, been to the US, and it’s all good. Of course, Russia is half of the world. I love the Caucasus, and I’ve always said that I am going to live in the Caucasus after I quit the sport. I am the son of the Caucasus and it’s my home,” he revealed.

With that addressed, the focus now turns to his upcoming bout against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 on October 26, which will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. This time, ‘Borz’ has made a massive change in his training approach that may put an end to his string of health issues costing him Octagon appearances!

‘Borz’ reveals massive shift in training style ahead of Robert Whittaker clash  

Khamzat Chimaev is back, and this time, he’s fighting smart. Earlier this year, Chimaev’s much-anticipated bout with Whittaker fell through when he found himself in and out of the hospital. The cause? Overtraining. In his interview with the ‘Hustle Vlog’, Chimaev shared, “I used to go to the gym and just train until I was done. But, then I ended up in the hospital like the last time when I was in hospital three times in a row within three weeks.”

Now, as he prepares for the same matchup, ‘Borz’ has taken his training to a different level—both physically and mentally. He further shared, “They (his coaches) now let me rest and recover properly… I work with good coaches, raised a lot of world champions … I am going to take a big step forward.”

With Robert Whittaker, a five-round war looms, and Chimaev must prove he can maintain his ferocity from bell to bell against the former middleweight champion who made short work of Ikram Aliskerov in his last fight. Will Khamzat Chimaev’s new training regimen hold up under the pressure? And could this be the first step in his journey towards UFC gold? Let us know what you think in the comments below!