Has Khamzat Chimaev relinquished his Russian citizenship? ‘Borz’ has been out of action since his win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 in 2023.
While he was scheduled to take on former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 6 in Riyadh in June, Chimaev had to withdraw from the bout due to health problems and was replaced by Ikram Aliskerov.
As if his health issues weren’t enough to keep fans talking, speculation started flying about something even bigger—his citizenship. Is Chimaev ditching his Russian roots for the United Arab Emirates?
The same issue and rumors arose when earlier this year, Khabib Nurmagomedov found himself mired in a storm of legal issues with the Russian authorities. But what’s the real story? Recently, Khamzat Chimaev finally addressed the whispers.
Khamzat Chimaev shuts down talks of him giving up his Russian citizenship
In a recent conversation with ‘Hustle Vlog’ and Adam Zubayraev, Khamzat Chimaev was asked to shed some light on the rumors of his UAE citizenship. Chimaev bluntly responded by stating, “No, I just got a residence permit. For 10 years or so, which can be prolonged for another 10 years. I don’t want to change my Russian citizenship for any other. I could’ve stayed in Sweden and got their citizenship. My family have got it but I am cool with my Russian citizenship.”
This storyline isn’t unfamiliar though. Earlier this year, it was reported that Khabib Nurmagomedov was hit with a demand of over 300 million roubles (around $3.3 million) after the Russian Federal Tax Service found discrepancies in some of his business ventures. The result? A swirl of rumors suggesting that ‘The Eagle’ is looking to give up his Russian citizenship and move to the UAE.
While Nurmagomedov’s camp later released a statement which stated, “The information about tax debt is inaccurate. Khabib continues to engage in business projects and develop them” there was nothing confirming or denying his supposed UAE citizenship.
For fans wondering if Khamzat Chimaev would ever consider ditching his Russian passport, his response was crystal clear: not happening. ‘Borz’ shared, “I can travel anywhere, I have been all around Europe, been to England, been to the US, and it’s all good. Of course, Russia is half of the world. I love the Caucasus, and I’ve always said that I am going to live in the Caucasus after I quit the sport. I am the son of the Caucasus and it’s my home. ”
With that addressed, the focus now turns to his upcoming bout against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October which will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. This time, ‘Borz’ has made a massive change in his training approach that may put an end to his string of health issues costing him Octagon appearances!