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Former United States President Donald Trump praised Khamzat Chimaev. Trump is a passionate fight fan and one of the first supporters of the UFC. He has helped the organization survive tough times and continues to follow the sport of MMA with a keen interest.
Chimaev, a rising UFC middleweight contender from Chechnya has become a popular figure in recent years. He has not competed on American soil since defeating Kevin Holland at UFC 279 in Sept. 2022, leading many to believe that he might be banned from entering the USA.
The 30-year-old is set to fight former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 on Oct. 26, in Abu Dhabi. In a recent interview with veteran journalist Kevin Iole, 'Borz' joked that he will be able to fight in the USA after Donald Trump wins the 2024 US Presidential elections:
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"Of course, yeah! Let Donald Trump win the fight [US elections]. So I will be there."
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Check out Khamzat Chimaev's comments below:
The post was re-shared on Donald Trump's personal Instagram account. Trump's quote in the caption read:
"A great fighter! - DJT [Donald J. Trump]"
Check out Donald Trump's Instagram story below:
Khamzat Chimaev sheds light on why he hasn't competed in the USA in recent years
The rumors of Khamzat Chimaev being banned from entering the USA due to his close relationship with Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov have picked up steam in recent years. Many, including his former coaches, have said that he has struggled with visa issues.
During a recent interview with Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports, Chimaev cleared the air about the rumors and said:
“People say a lot of different sh** things. I’ve been in U.S. and can come to the U.S., but lot of sh** things happen in my life - being sick, surgeries, you know, so that’s why I’ve been fighting not like I did before, all the time.”
He added:
“Abu Dhabi being close to me, I just jump in and fight here. So I’ve been in England. I’ve been in U.K., U.S., and I’m gonna go to Australia soon in December, I can be anywhere. So I don’t know who has a problem with me. The people say a lot of different things. So I don’t know.”
Check out Khamzat Chimaev's comments below (5:34):
