Khamzat Chimaev is weeks away from the biggest fight of his career to date.
Since emerging as one of the most exciting fighters in the sport when he first arrived in the UFC, fans have expected Chimaev to compete at the very top of the sport.
The undefeated star’s first title fight will take place in Chicago on August 16 when he challenges Dricus du Plessis in the main event of UFC 319.
Chimaev’s training camp in the United States appears to be going to plan as he looks to move past various issues that have held him back in the past.
At 31 years old, it seems like he has finally arrived at where he should have been several years ago, but potentially, this ascent may not last too much longer.
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Caio Borralho claims he’s heard rumors that Khamzat Chimaev might retire if he wins at UFC 319
In a recent interview with MMA Today, Caio Borralho made a bold claim about Khamzat Chimaev and his future in the sport.
Having trained with Chimaev in the past, the Brazilian could emerge as the next contender in line for a shot at the belt if he’s able to get past Nassourdine Imavov on September 6.
Borralho claimed in the interview that he’s heard rumors and ‘whispers’ that the middleweight title challenger may be looking to hang up the gloves if he’s successful on August 16.
“I heard somewhere, some people saying that if he wins the belt, he’s gonna retire. I think so. There’s some little talks, some whispers about that. That if he wins the belt, he retires. I’m not sure of that. I don’t know if I believe that or not but it’s an option.”
Borralho went on to name several reasons why Chimaev shockingly retiring could actually happen at this stage in his career.
“There’s too much pressure on him. He has health problems and a lot of pressure from his country… He has a lot of money already, like a lot of money, he’s good with money… I’d do the same if I were him.”
It’s worth noting that many of the responses to his comments from the fans were critical of Borralho for making incorrect statements in the past.
Khamzat Chimaev has suffered several major setbacks to finally reach a UFC title shot
When Khamzat Chimaev first debuted in the UFC in 2020, he instantly became one of the most talked about fighters in the sport.
‘Borz’ put three dominant wins together in the space of several months and could’ve become the next contender in line for a shot at the welterweight title within six months of joining the promotion had his initial matchup with Leon Edwards come together.
While he remains undefeated inside the Octagon, Chimaev’s momentum slowed down significantly for several years due to several significant health issues which led to long gaps of inactivity.
He finally looks to have put this behind him, so seeing him walk away while he’s on top would be incredibly disappointing, even if he would have several reasons for doing so.