Khamzat Chimaev Addresses Rumors of US Travel Ban Ahead of UFC 308

Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated UFC middleweight contender, has finally addressed the rumors surrounding his alleged travel ban to the United States. Chimaev, who is set to return to action this weekend in the co-main event of UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, clarified his situation in recent interviews.

In a conversation with CBS Sports‘ Shakiel Mahjouri, Chimaev denied the rumors that he is barred from entering the US due to his close ties with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Chimaev stated, “I don’t think so, people say a lot of different s*** things… I’ve been to the US and can come to the US, but a lot of s*** things happen in my life with being sick and surgeries, you know.”

Chimaev has indeed competed in the US previously, having fought twice in Las Vegas and once in Florida under the UFC banner. He emphasized his ability to travel freely, mentioning upcoming plans to visit Australia around December. “I’ve been to England, the UK, I’ve been to the US and I’m going to go to Australia soon around December so it can be anywhere,” he added.

The rumors about the travel ban had surfaced earlier in 2023, with Jiu-Jitsu coach Alan Nascimento suggesting that Chimaev faced difficulties entering the US. However, Chimaev’s recent statements have put those rumors to rest. He reiterated his ability to compete in the UFC in the United States, saying, “Of course,” when asked again about his travel status.

Chimaev’s return to the UFC has been highly anticipated, especially after he was forced to withdraw from an earlier scheduled fight against Whittaker due to a mystery illness that left him hospitalized. He attributed his illness to overtraining without adequate recovery time. “Nobody works like me, six hours every day in the gym just killing myself, but no recovery, no rest for two months; that’s why I got so sick,” Chimaev explained.

For his upcoming fight, Chimaev has been training in the mountains of Europe and has brought in Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle wrestler Razambek Zhamalov to help sharpen his skills. This preparation is seen as crucial for his bout against the formidable Robert Whittaker.