UFC star Khamzat Chimaev shares details of secret health battle

UFC welterweight star Khamzat Chimaev has revealed that he has been battling an unnamed illness since his last fight.

Chimaev posted a collage of images on his social media, appearing to show his hand injury and an unspecified illness.

“I was very sick,” Chimaev wrote.

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“So I couldn’t return right away, I want to tell all the fountains, I want to see myself in battle more than all of you, I love this job.

“I will be back soon to Insha’Allal (SIC) training.”

Three of the photos on the post show the Chechen fighter in a hospital bed hooked up to machines, some show him with some kind of rash over his body.

Another image shows an already known injury of a torn hand ligament, that he sustained in his fight against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman back in October.

The post has since been deleted with Chimaev releasing a video telling fans he is OK.

“It’s good. I’m coming back for my belt,” the UFC star said.

Chimaev is only a few years removed from a severe bout of COVID which took him out of action for almost a year.

At that time in 2021, the Chechen had been scheduled to face now champion, Leon Edwards.

But the fight was cancelled as Chimaev struggled with the effects of COVID.

The illness halted the surging career of the welterweight.

He remains undefeated and has faced some of the most dangerous fighters in his division, including Kevin Holland, Gilber Burns, and his most recent bout against Kamru Usman.

Fiery media conference

Chimaev has made a name for being one of the most savage fighters in the UFC, who isn’t afraid of a fight inside or even outside the cage.

So much so that a media conference for UFC 279 in Las Vegas had to be called off after he and Kevin Holland a got into a scuffle backstage.

Holland and Chimaev weren’t even scheduled to fight each other, with Chimaev (11-0) set to take on Nate Diaz (21-13) in the main card. Holland (23-7) will face off against Daniel Rodriguez (16-2).

Amid tense and confusing scenes, UFC boss Dana White faced the media and said: “Absolute s***show back there.”

“There’s lots of crazy s**t back there,” and then moments later told reporters: “Yeah, this ain’t going to happen.”

Holland and Chimaev exchanged words and got into a physical altercation.

“I apologise, everybody … This has never happened in the history of this company. Let me tell you this is the right decision not to do this press conference right now,” White said.

“Yeah, I hear you,” he continued as boos rained down from those in attendance.

“I’m with you. But for everybody’s safety, this is the right decision. I apologise.”

The UFC posted White’s initial comments to Twitter.

“There were multiple things going on at the same time. It wasn’t just one thing that erupted,” White said.

“There was security over there, there was no security over here … because everyone was dealing with the other thing, and once it all started erupting it was a complete s**tshow.

“There were four involved … [It’s not good for business]. It’s bad, it’s all bad.”

Bizarrely, the two ended up facing each other at UFC 279 after Chimaev missed weight.