Khamzat Chimaev reacts to UFC on ABC 6 withdrawal; manager denies retirement rumors

Khamzat Chimaev gave his first reaction to his withdrawal from UFC on ABC 6.

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) was forced out of Saturday’s headliner vs. Robert Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia due to illness. Replacing him will be rising middleweight contender Ikram Aliskerov (15-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).

Chimaev, who was hospitalized from the illness, broke his silence on social media.

“We always plan something but Allah has his own plans for us!
Alhamdulilah.”

Despite the frustrating run for 30-year-old Chimaev, who’s fought just once in the past two years, his manager Majdi Shammas denied any retirement rumors.

“It’s absolutely not true,” Shammas told MMA Junkie on Monday. “We’re planning on getting to the bottom of this situation, the problems. He will be back.”

Chimaev hasn’t competed since a majority decision win over former champion Kamaru Usman this past October at UFC 294. His bout vs. Whittaker was being dubbed as a No. 1 contender before he was forced to withdraw.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.