Ridden With Depression and Sickness, Khamzat Chimaev Comes Clean on Vital Changes to Avoid Health Issues Before UFC 308

Khamzat Chimaev, known for his fierce persona and relentless drive, is preparing for one of the biggest fights of his career. And this time, there’s a different energy surrounding ‘Borz! Chimaev will be stepping into the Octagon at UFC 308 on October 26 after almost a year away from action. His last fight was against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 in 2023, where he won a hard-fought majority decision.

As the undefeated fighter prepares for his co-main event at UFC 308 against Robert Whittaker, Chimaev recently opened up about a darker chapter in his life—one where mental and physical health took a backseat. So, what really went wrong for ‘Borz,’ and how did he manage to turn things around?

Khamzat Chimaev reveals drastic changes to training and mindset ahead of UFC 308   

Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker were originally scheduled to clash at UFC on ABC 6 in June. But due to Chimaev suffering from a serious medical issue, he was forced to pull out of the bout and was replaced by Ikram Aliskerov.  But as UFC 308 gets closer, ‘Borz’ revealed a new side of himself and how he plans on avoiding further health complications in the future.

In a video shared by Red Corner MMA on Instagram, Chimaev was asked about the newfound positivity surrounding him. Chimaev admitted, “You can say, my depression went away.” For a fighter who seems unstoppable, it was a rare moment of vulnerability as he further shared, “I had a few problems, but I resolved everything.”

In another surprising moment, ‘Borz’ stated, “I’m human and have my problems as well, I got caught in depression and there was a lot going on.” Reminding us that even the most fearsome warriors have their battles with mental health and problems outside the training room and the cage. But how did he overcome it?

Chimaev revealed, “Now I moved and have a new team, I have doctors, a dietician, and a team like never before. Turns out I wasn’t taking regular vitamins correctly, I was just training in the gym and fighting”

For someone used to just fighting and training, this new structure was a game-changer. Chimaev even admitted, “Everyone thought I woke up and fought, I’d play DOTA and go fight.” Now, with a fresh mindset and a stronger support system, ‘Borz’s confidence is seemingly back at full-throttle. With a former middleweight champion standing in his way at UFC 308, the undefeated phenom has also indicated that he believes he has what it takes to dominate ‘The Reaper’.

‘Borz’ handed a warning by ‘The Reaper’ to avoid thinking of their fight as a “wrestling match”  

As he indicated, with his health in check and his depression lifted, Khamzat Chimaev feels more focused than ever as he heads into UFC 308. But the question remains: can this new-and-improved Chimaev deliver on his promise to dominate Robert Whittaker? ‘The Reaper’ is currently on a 2-fight win streak and made short work of ‘Borz’s replacement at UFC on ABC 6 by knocking out Ikram Aliskerov in the very first round!

During the UFC 308 Countdown, a supremely confident Chimaev stated, “Robert has been a champion, and one of the best guys at the top. But I don’t care about this…Why should I be worried about him? I’m a complete MMA fighter. I am the best wrestler in the UFC… He needs to worry about my wrestling and my right hand can knock this guy out.”

Whittaker, however, isn’t intimidated. The Australian’s resume speaks volumes about his skills having faced elite opponents like Israel Adesanya, Yoel Romero, and Jared Cannnonier. According to ‘The Reaper’, “This isn’t a wrestling match, this is an MMA fight. I’m going to look to stuff his takedowns and I’m going to beat him up.”

As UFC 308 draws closer, fans can’t help but wonder, will Khamzat Chimaev’s mental and physical transformation be the edge he needs to secure victory? Or will Robert Whittaker’s experience and versatility prove too much for the undefeated star? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!