Khamzat Chimaev hints at possible UFC comeback after announcing shock retirement

Khamzat Chimaev has hinted at a possible return to the UFC after he tagged Neil Magny on Twitter with a picture of himself.

The Swedish-Russian mixed martial artist shocked the combat sports world when he announced his retirement from fighting due to his lingering symptoms of COVID-19.

Khamzat Chimaev went through a severe case of the virus, which made him withdraw from his bout with Leon Edwards twice before the UFC cancelled it definitively.

He uploaded a picture of a bloodied sink, suggesting that he was still experiencing long-lasting effects after contracting the virus. He uploaded a second picture to announce his retirement.

UFC president Dana White has dismissed the possibility that Khamzat Chimaev was truly retiring, claiming that he only got emotional from the consequences of his COVID-19 infection.

Now, the welterweight contender has hinted at a possible comeback, as he posted a picture of himself during a face-off and tagged Neil Magny, no. 9 in the division's rankings.

@NeilMagny 🤫 pic.twitter.com/Bzvo8NXFTE

— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) March 12, 2021

Magny's last fight in the promotion was a defeat to Michael Chiesa at UFC Fight Island 8 early this years.

Khamzat Chimaev's impressive UFC record

UFC Fight Night: Chimaev vs McKee

Khamzat Chimaev took the welterweight division by storm when he successfully debuted in the promotion in mid-2020 and then followed up with two more wins in the next two months.

His explosive fighting style impressed UFC president Dana White and other fighters, who took the young mixed martial artist very seriously, putting him as a top contender for the division's title.

Khamzat Chimaev was booked to fight the no. 3 in the welterweight rankings, Leon Edwards. Although the British fighter has not competed since 2019, he remains one of the top contenders in his weight class.

The bout was initially cancelled after Edwards tested positive for COVID-19 days before the fight. The bout was rescheduled for December 2020, but it was scrapped again for the same reason, but with Khamzat Chimaev getting infected this time.

The UFC attempted to make the fight happen again, and a third date was scheduled. But even two months after contracting the virus, Khamzat Chimaev is still not in the physical condition for the same.

According to sources close to the fighter, his lungs are seriously damaged, and his training capacity is critically compromised due to lingering symptoms of COVID-19.

From Khamzat Chimaev’s Instagram (and translated through Instagram) pic.twitter.com/EiJYKroClj

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 2, 2021

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