“Put a shirt on, princess, before you catch another cold,” noted Dricus Du Plessis last year under one of Khamzat Chimaev’s mirror selfies, where he was flexing his muscles ahead of his then-scheduled bout against Robert Whittaker (UFC 308). That wasn’t a casual insult but a quick reminder of Chimaev’s weakened immunity, which had previously forced the fighter to pull out of fights… So far, he has had six UFC fights canceled, three of them alone against Leon Edwards in the welterweight division.

Then, the UFC had booked ‘Borz’ to fight Whittaker in last year’s UFC Saudi Arabia event, but he again pulled out at the last minute due to a life-threatening illness. Back-to-back cancelations cemented his reputation as the poster boy for canceled bouts. And fellow UFC fighter, Caio Borralho’s recent statements have not helped Chimaev’s case at all.

Borralho alleged that Chimaev would retire if he became the champion. Why? Apparently, there is a lot of pressure from Chimaev’s country for him to win, and also, his long medical history has made it difficult for him to sustain himself for a long time. But for now, Khamzat Chimaev is back in action and is preparing for his upcoming UFC 319 fight against Dricus Du Plessis. Scheduled to go down inside Chicago’s United Center, it will be Chimaev’s first shot at a UFC title.

And so, anticipation is through the roof. In fact, the Instagram page ‘MMA Pros Pick’ recently posted a clip of Chimaev’s intense training session, and captioned it: “Khamzat Chimaev is just 34 days away from his long-awaited title shot. The Wolf is finally ready and putting on the finishing touches!”

In the footage, Khamzat Chimaev appears sharp and in top form, now training out of America as he pushes toward championship gold. But just a few months ago, rumors swirled about another potential health scare; reports claimed that the UFC might pull him from UFC 319. Thankfully, those turned out to be false alarms.

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Still, with the event now just weeks away, fans remain a bit on edge—understandably so, given Chimaev’s rocky track record with cancellations.

Fans fear Khamzat Chimaev might withdraw from UFC 319 title clash against Dricus Du Plessis

Just weeks ahead of UFC 319, uncertainty looms around Khamzat Chimaev’s long-awaited return, fueled by recent revelations and fan skepticism. A few weeks ago, the Chechnya standout’s former training partner, Caio Borralho, dropped a bombshell in an interview. The Brazilian claimed he had heard whispers suggesting that ‘Borz’ might retire after winning the UFC title, pointing to pressure from his homeland, Chechnya, and lingering health concerns.

Adding to the concern, one fan voiced their anxiety on Instagram, commenting, “Please don’t pull out.” Khamzat Chimaev originally made his UFC debut at middleweight, but just ten days later, he took a short-notice bout at welterweight against Rhys McKee. That kicked off his now well-known pattern of bouncing between weight divisions—a cycle that many believe has taken a toll on his body and led to several fight cancellations.

With Khamzat Chimaev now committed to 185 pounds, fans remain uneasy. Standing at 6’2″, his ability to safely make weight is still under question. One fan asked bluntly, “Will he make weight?” Another chimed in with a prediction: “He gonna not make weight or pull out.” It’s not just about weight, though. Concerns over Borz’s training intensity have also surfaced.

Reunited with his former coach, Salim Noutsalkhanov, Khamzat Chimaev himself admitted last year, “They now let me rest and recover properly,” suggesting that the grind at Allstars Gym was pushing him beyond his limits. Despite this new approach, doubt still clouds his comeback. A fan sarcastically wrote, “Excited to see why he pulls out this time.”

One fan even proposed a contingency for UFC 319’s main event. “Hope Ankalaev and Alex are ready when Khamzat pulls out to step in.” As the countdown to UFC 319 continues, some fans remain unconvinced that the bout will actually happen. So now, with just weeks to go, the big question is: Are these concerns and jokes rooted in reality? Or is Khamzat Chimaev finally ready to deliver the best version of himself in pursuit of middleweight gold? Drop your prediction below.