Khamzat Chimaev explains why he turned down UFC 300 main event slot, details timeline for return

Khamzat Chimaev is explaining why he turned down the UFC 300 main event slot and has shared a timeline for his return to the Octagon.

UFC 300 takes place on Saturday, April 13th at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.

Headlining the event will be a light heavyweight title fight between current champion Alex Pereira (9-2 MMA) and Jamahal Hill (12-1 MMA).

According to ‘Borz’, he was offered the main event slot by the UFC but turned it down. It could have been the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA) vs. UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards (22-3 MMA). But alas it was not to be.

During an interview with ‘FCR MMA’, Chimaev spoke about his return to the cage:

“In the summer, I think – in the summer, we’ll be back. I want to fight in Saudi Arabia, but I don’t think anybody wants to fight me there. We’ll see what’s going to happen, so (I’m) just waiting for something.”

As for turning down a fight at the historic UFC 300, Khamzat Chimaev continued (h/t MMAJunkie):

“They wanted me to fight at (UFC) 300, but I said it’s too short time for (170 pounds). I need a bit of time. (The Edwards fight) wasn’t 100 percent sure, but my manager said maybe, maybe not. My brother said to me, ‘Not in Ramadan.’ After Ramadan, we’ll take some time, camp and then we’ll fight anyone.”

In 2024, Ramadan takes place between March 10th and April 9th. During the month, practicing Muslims, of which Chimaev is one of them, fast from light of dawn until sunset each day.

Chimaev, 29, most recently defeated Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA) by majority decision in October of last year at UFC 294.

Would you like to have seen Khamzat Chimaev vs. Leon Edwards headlining UFC 300? Or do you prefer the recently announced Pereira vs. Hill ticket?

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