Is Khamzat Chimaev from the UAE? Here's why 'Borz' changed his flag in the UFC

Khamzat Chimaev will represent the United Arab Emirates (UAE) instead of Sweden when he makes his long-awaited return to action against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

Born in Chechnya, Russia, Chimaev moved to Sweden as an 18-year-old with his mother and older brother. He soon found his calling as an MMA fighter and began training at the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden. 'Borz' has represented Sweden in all of his UFC fights to date.

However, it was revealed earlier this year that Khamzat Chimaev was no longer a Swedish citizen and had emigrated to the UAE permanently. His manager, Majdi Shammas, confirmed the news in a social media statement and stated that 'Borz' will be representing the Middle Eastern nation in the future.

While Chimaev hasn't directly addressed the reasons behind his citizenship switch, it is thought that the Chechen-born fighter wasn't happy about some social and legal developments in Sweden.

The Scandinavian nation notably protected the public burning of the Quran as freedom of expression, causing 'Borz' to slam the government's decision on social media. Apart from that, the UAE also offers Khamzat Chimaev several tax benefits that Sweden did not.

With his fight against Usman around the corner, Chimaev has set up his training base in Abu Dhabi and has reportedly made Dubai his home. However, he has previously stated that he'll always love Sweden as his home and will continue representing his Swedish fans in spirit.

---

Israel Adesanya on Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294

Israel Adesanya recently weighed in on the highly anticipated Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout at UFC 294 this weekend. The former middleweight champion is of the opinion that 'The Nigerian Nightmare' will get his hand raised despite accepting the bout on a nine-day notice.

While Chimaev was initially booked to face Paulo Costa in a grudge match, the Brazilian was forced to pull out of the fight due to complications from his elbow surgery. Usman stepped in to replace Costa on short notice and will move up one weight class to fight 'Borz'.

In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Israel Adesanya weighed in on the middleweight title eliminator. Predicting Usman to win, he said:

"The b*lls on Kamaru... I know he can get it done, I'm pretty sure he's gonna get it done, even on 10 or 11 days' notice. I'm pretty sure he's gonna get it done. Khamzat was training for a striker... Now he's fighting a super credible wrestler who has the highest takedown defense in the welterweight division."

Catch Adesanya's comments below (10:15):