UFC megastar Khamzat Chimaev cannot enter the United States currently. Dana White and co. undoubtedly must be exasperated at this since they cannot monetize one of their biggest star in their home market. For the time being, ‘Borz’ is relegated to the UFC’s Middle East events. He is gearing up to face Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi at UFC 308 in late October. But will he ever fight in the US?

Well, no one knows, but many suspect that the fighter cannot enter the country because of his close association with controversial Chechen politician Ramzan Kadyrov. Despite this significant setback that could hurt him a lot professionally, it seems ‘Borz’s appreciation for Kadyrov is unmoved.

The latest example of this came as the UFC superstar took to social media to congratulate Kadyrov on his birthday. But it wasn’t just a simple birthday wish. No.

Chimaev wrote, “I sincerely congratulate my dear older BROTHER, the Head of the Chechen Republic, Hero of Russia Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov on his birthday. Ramzan Akhmatovich is the main motivator for me, because it was thanks to him, by the will of the Almighty, that my career was renewed and acquired a second wind, when at the most difficult moment he brought me home, talked, gave valuable advice and provided all kinds of support, attention and help and continues to do so to this day.”

“For all this, I am very grateful to him and will be so all my life. We all know what role he plays in the life of our people, region and country as a whole, how he is loved and respected everywhere. Once again, I congratulate you, Ramzan Akhmatovich, on your birthday, I wish you health, success and achievement of all heights in your very difficult and important work for everyone!”

This also reminds people about the time when Chimaev faced visa issues. Ahead of UFC 294, Alan Nascimento, Chimaev’s jiu-jitsu coach, revealed why the fighter chose to move to the UAE. That’s when people got to know that Chimaev had a Russian passport and not a Swedish one.

“He’s not a Swedish citizen. He never was. 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. Especially for a Chechen,” Nascimento opined. Nascimento too had moved to Sweden about two decades ago, but unlike Chimaev, he eventually became a Swedish citizen.

Several Russian athletes have found it difficult to travel to other countries after the Russia-Ukraine conflict started in 2022. However, Khamzat Chimaev’s ties with Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov only added to the difficulty. After all, Kadyrov was sanctioned by the U. S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control for ‘serious human rights abuses’ in Russia. And fans had many opinions about the UFC fighter’s latest post about the politician.

Fans blast Khamzat Chimaev’s heartfelt birthday message for Ramzan Kadyrov!

It is not the first time that ‘Borz’ has found himself on the wrong side of things. His conditioning and pulling out of UFC fights have been a constant concern for even his biggest naysayers. After all, ‘The Chechen Wolf’ is a huge draw for the MMA juggernaut but his political leanings and outside associations have also irked the fans the wrong way.

So his Instagram post became a vocal battleground for the MMA community. What did fans say?

• “This is why you can’t fight in the US.”
• “This is why you’re facing visa issues rather.”

Could Khamzat Chimaev’s association with Ramzan Kadyrov be the reason he isn’t that active anymore? We don’t know but some fans speculated this. There was a time when the fighter was extremely active. He fought thrice in 2020, but then COVID-19 dampened his run and affected his health. Though the fighter returned after a brief retirement and was as dominant as ever, his career certainly isn’t panning out the way people initially thought.

“Oh right, the reason we never see you fight anymore and more than likely the reason you can’t fight in America anymore. Good friend man,” opined a social media user.

Chimaev’s last fight was against Kamaru Usman in Oct. 2023. So UFC 308 will mark his entry into the octagon after a year. Yes, the 30-year-old is still undefeated, but he doesn’t seem to be making the most of his prime years. “You’re so lost,” mentioned another fan.

However, there was a section of fans who were solely focused on his upcoming fight. “We are waiting for October 26 Khamzat,” wrote one passionate fan. Chimaev’s 13-0 record looks impressive in comparison to Whittaker’s 26-7. But ‘Bobby Knuckles’ is coming off two back-to-back wins. So it will be interesting to see the two fight.

What are your predictions for Khamzat Chimaev versus Robert Whittaker? Let us know in the comments below.