Khamzat Chimaev targeting late summer return to the UFC, says manager

UFC welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev is targeting a return to the Octagon in the late summer, according to his manager, Ali Abdelaziz.

Chimaev was supposed to fight Leon Edwards in March in what would have been a potential No. 1 contender fight at 170lbs. However, Chimaev was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a bad experience with COVID-19, one that left him coughing up blood and thinking he had cancer. Fortunately, it appears as though Chimaev is now finally getting healthy. While he originally said that he was going to walk away from the sport, he has said in recent weeks that he has his motivation back and he is excited to fight again soon.

Speaking to MMAjunkie.com, Chimaev’s manager Abdelaziz confirmed that Team Chimaev is hoping that the young welterweight destroyer returns to the Octagon this summer.

“We’ll see (Chimaev) at the end of July (or) August. Even Dana (White) was asking me the other day. I told him the end of July or August he’ll fight. I told Sean (Shelby), too. Realistically, I think it’s time to slow it down a little bit, but I think he’s going to make a (bigger) statement on the comeback. He’s going to keep climbing. He’s a special talent. He’s a superstar, I believe, in the making. All of us will see. Everyone who understands MMA will understand what Khamzat brings. It is what it is, and we have to move on. Sickness can’t control that,” Abdelaziz said about Chimaev.

While he has lost out on the opportunity to fight Edwards, who fights Nate Diaz next, there are other top-15 fighters who are available now and who will become available come this summer, so Chimaev is going to have plenty of options for his next fight either way.

Who do you want to see Khamzat Chimaev fight in his return to the Octagon?