Khamzat Chimaev reflects on illness that derailed initial Robert Whittaker fight date
Khamzat Chimaev has looked back on the illness that forced him out of a scheduled June clash with Robert Whittaker.
Chimaev was hospitalized during his preparation for the fight, and he was replaced by Ikram Aliskerov. Whittaker ended up knocking Aliskerov out in the first round.
The middleweight tilt between Chimaev and Whittaker will finally take place this Saturday at UFC 308.
Khamzat Chimaev Details Illness That Delayed Robert Whittaker Fight
During the UFC 308 Countdown show, Khamzat Chimaev recalled when he first fell ill before the initial date to fight Robert Whittaker occurred (via MMAJunkie).
“We were in training camp. The first month was very good,” Chimaev said on UFC Countdown. “The last three weeks, my immunity goes down. I don’t know what happened. All the guys ate the same food, (but) only (I) got sick.
“I was in the hospital for a couple of days. I came out and started to train again and the same sh*t happened again. The doctor said to me, ‘You need to just be off from the gym and not just training, not doing nothing.’ I went home to the mountains.”
Chimaev is hoping to secure a UFC title opportunity with a win over Whittaker. While UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis is likely headed for a rematch with Sean Strickland, the winner of Chimaev vs. Whittaker figures to be waiting in the wings.
Many experts and fans believe this will be Chimaev’s toughest test to date. Even so, he is currently a betting favorite. It speaks volumes to the potential many feel Chimaev has given that Whittaker remains a threat at the top of the 185-pound division.
BJPenn.com will be bringing you live coverage of UFC 308 this Saturday.
