Unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev is once more expected to make his long-anticipated return to action later this year in a reworked title eliminator against former champion, Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 — and is certainly ramping up training for his comeback bout.
Chimaev, the current number twelve ranked 185lbs contender, has been sidelined since he landed a controversial majority decision win over former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman in a short-notice co-main event fight at UFC 294.
And booked to return earlier this summer, Chimaev was ruled from a UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia headliner with the above-mentioned, Whittaker, until a reported “violent” illness ruled the Chechen from his first promotional main event outing.
Khamzat Chimaev shows off new training regime ahead of UFC 308
Now slated to co-headline UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi against Whittaker over the course of five rounds, the uber-talented, Chimaev shared some new training footage — which included him circling a heavy bag whilst wrapped in a resistance band, ramping up his ever-evolving striking game on the feet.
Remaining on the above-mentioned card in Riyadh, former middleweight champion, Whittaker made light work of impromptu foe, Ikram Aliskerov — finishing the common-foe with a blistering opening round knockout win.
And once more booked to fight the Chechen at the end of next month, Whittaker claims confident is high as he puts the finishing touches on a second training camp for a bout with Khamzat Chimaev.
“I’ve essentially had two camps for this guy (Khamzat Chimaev), right?” Robert Whittaker told Submission Radio. “I thnk skill-set-wise, I’m probably at the best I’ve been. I’ve been especially most prepared for Khamzat, theoretically speaking as I could be, right?”
“… You know, you’ve got to worry about how hard he’s going to push the wresting envelope in the first few rounds,” Robert Whittaker explained. “And then, like, what I’m going to do after that, after I stop the takedowns, after I get back up or whatever, and just taking the fight to him.”