Ahead of UFC 308, Khamzat Chimaev Refutes U.S. Visa Ban Rumor: “A Lot of S*it Things”
Khamzat Chimaev continues to insist that he can fight in the United States without issue.
‘Borz’ hasn’t competed stateside since his September 2022 victory over Kevin Holland at UFC 279. That trend will continue this Saturday when Chimaev returns to the Octagon as the promotion makes its annual pit stop in Abu Dhabi for UFC 308. There, the undefeated Chechen monster will square off with Robert Whittaker in a bout that could produce the next middleweight title challenger.
Speaking with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri ahead of this weekend’s event at Etihad Arena, Chimaev was asked about the longstanding rumor that he’s unable to obtain a U.S. Visa due to his close relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov, the current Head of the Chechen Republic.
“Multiple sources familiar with the matter, speaking to Sports Politika on the condition of anonymity, suggested that the UFC fighter’s visa troubles stem, at least partially, from his association with the dictator,” Bloody Elbow’s Karim Zidan wrote on his Substack earlier this year.
Khamzat Chimaev denies any issues with entering the U.S.
‘Borz’ once again attempted to quell any concerns about his status, stating that his issues with staying healthy are the only thing keeping him from competing in the States.
“I don’t think [it would be a problem], there’s a lot of s*it things [being said].” Chimaev said. “I’ve been in the U.S., and can come to the U.S. But, a lot of s*it things have happened in my life. Being sick, having surgeries, so that’s why I’ve [not] been fighting [there] like before.”
“So, Abu Dhabi being close to me, I’ll fight here. I’ve been in England, I’ve been in the U.K., the U.S., I’m going to go to Australia soon in December. I can be anywhere. So, I don’t know who has a problem with me, and people say a lot of different things. I don’t know.”
Borz’ goes into UFC 308 with an unbeaten record of 13-0 with seven of those wins coming under the UFC banner. His last appearance came around this same time last year when he went toe-to-toe with former welterweight king Kamaru Usman. Chimaev came out on top via a majority decision.
