Since his electrifying debut in the UFC in 2020, Khamzat Chimaev has proven to be a formidable presence in the Octagon, showcasing intense wrestling skills and an undefeated record that has quickly set him apart. However, what began as a meteoric rise has been hindered by several unexpected fight cancellations.

One of the most anticipated bouts was his scheduled clash against fellow middleweight powerhouse Robert Whittaker, set to take place on June 22 earlier this year at UFC Fight Night. Unfortunately, much to the disappointment of fans and the UFC, the fight had to be postponed at the last moment. But what led the undefeated middleweight contender to withdraw from such a highly anticipated match? Let’s delve into the details behind this rescheduling.

Why was Khamzat Chimaev vs Robert Whittaker canceled at UFC Fight Night?

UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Chimaev was the promotion’s first outing in Saudi Arabia and was promised to be a blockbuster main event. However, the entire event took a hit when Chimaev pulled out of the fight at the last moment.

UFC CEO Dana White announced that the middleweight fighter had fallen “violently ill” and wouldn’t be able to make it to the fight. “Unfortunately, Khamzat Chimaev is out of the fight in Saudi Arabia. [He’s] violently, and I mean violently, ill. So he’s going back home, and hopefully, he gets well soon,” the head honcho said. Immediately after the announcement, Chimaev and his team underwent treatment, and pictures of ‘Borz’ in a hospital bed went viral.

It was later revealed that Chimaev’s rigorous overtraining regimen had taken a toll on his immune system, causing a range of health issues. Known as one of the hardest-working fighters in the UFC, ‘Borz’ is famous for his intense training camps. However, the downside of such a relentless approach is that insufficient recovery between sessions has led to missed fights and lost momentum in his division.

His manager, Majdi Shammas, issued a statement: “The persistent illness that Khamzat has been battling for major parts of training camp could not be cured in time. He has been in and out of hospitals several times.” That said, this wasn’t the first time Chimaev was forced to withdraw from a main event. Over the past four years, he has had six canceled fights, five of which were high-profile main events. While COVID-19 impacted some of these cancellations, Chimaev’s health struggles have been the primary factor behind most.

With his blockbuster fight against Rober Whittaker set to take place on October 26 at UFC 308, Dana White is hoping for the best. During a promotional event for UFC 308 on October 8, the CEO couldn’t contain his excitement for the promotion’s trip to Abu Dhabi. “Today was matchmaking day, so we were in there making some fights and beefing up some of the cards. That was literally one of the big topics today on how bad–s that card is,” he said, referring to not just the Whittaker vs. Chimaev bout but also the Max Holloway vs. Ilia Topuria main event.

Knowing what happened last time around when Chimaev and Whittaker were to face each other, White knocked twice on the table for good luck and said, “Hopefully, it stays together. Really excited about it.” As for the Russian fighter, to ensure he doesn’t face the same situation he did in June, Chimaev changed his training regimen.

In an interview with Hustle Vlog a few weeks ago, he acknowledged his overly rigorous training schedule. “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 the hospital three times in a row within three weeks. My immune system went down; I got sick. Now, I use a better approach. I work with good coaches [who] raised a lot of world champions… I am going to take a big step forward.”

Despite this, could there be more cancellations ahead? Let’s take a closer look at his track record.

Other fight cancellations in Khamzat Chimaev’s career

Khamzat Chimaev has an unfortunate history of pulling out of his fights, and that too in main events. The ‘Emriti’ fight against former welterweight champion Leon Edwards had to be canceled thrice between 2020 and 2021. During that particular time, Chimaev was suffering from COVID-19 and was having problems with his recovery. His next big opportunity came when he was scheduled to take on Nate Diaz at UFC 279.

But the fight never happened as ‘Borz’ weighed in at 178.5 pounds, seven-and-a-half pounds over the required welterweight limit. He was forced to move down to the co-main event as a punitive measure. Reportedly, ‘Borz’ has returned to his first wrestling coach, Salim Selbievich, under whom the UFC star is slated to overcome his previous shortcomings.

In an ideal situation, fans would love to see Chimaev return to action, as he is one of the best in the world. However, looking at his past records, one can never be sure. Do you think Khamzat Chimaev will turn up at UFC 308 this time? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.