Khamzat Chimaev has seemingly just announced his retirement from the sport of MMA.
In an Instagram post released Monday evening, Khamzat Chimaev apparently called it a career after nine fights and at only 26 years of age (translation via Fightful):
“I just want to say thank you all so much for supporting me in my journey in this sport. I think I’m done, yes I know I didn’t take the belt but it’s not the most important victory in this life, it may upset you but my heart and body tell me everything. I want to say a big thank you to my team [All Star Gym: Sweden]. I want to say a big thank you to the UFC.”
Khamzat Chimaev is widely considered to be the breakout star of 2020 with three fights and three utter smashings. The most recent domination took place in the span of all of 17 seconds and one punch. Chimaev was slated to fight Leon Edwards next, but the fight was cancelled three times, two of which being brought about by Chimaev’s ongoing struggles with COVID-19 complications.
The UFC took measures to fly Chimaev to the United States to receive top-of-the-line medical treatment, and it was just yesterday that a story was released of Khamzat thanking the UFC for the medical treatment he has received and calling for a fight against Neil Magny in June.
It is possible that Chimaev is reacting emotionally to the prolonged struggle he is enduring with COVID complications and that this is a McGregor-esque retirement that will pass with the seasons. But with such a small sample size of Chimaev’s character and tendencies, the logical conclusion is to take his words at face value for the time being.
Keep it locked right here on MMANews.com for any further developments on this breaking story.
