Khamzat Chimaev's coach has revealed the star kept passing out as he attempted to make weight for his fight with Nate Diaz.
Chimaev was set to face Nate Diaz at UFC 279 but weighed in 7.5lb above the contracted 170lb limit so instead took on late-replacement opponent Kevin Holland whom he defeated in the first round. The Chechen star was trying to make the drastic cut ahead of the deadline, but was advised by the UFC's doctors to end the desperate attempts and instead face a new opponent.
The Chechen star was not fined for failing to make weight having continued to try until the final moment to reach the 170lb limit. And his trainer Andreas Michael has admitted Chimaev has struggled to make the limit more than ever for recent fights since suffering with coronavirus in 2020. "They came in my room in the middle of the night, and they told me Khamzat is having problems, health issues," Michael told the MMA Hour when explaining what happen with Chimaev's weight cut at UFC 279.
"So, we all got scared. We called the UFC for the physician. And the physician, under close examination, said that he would not advise us that we continue cutting weight. And when a doctor tells you that, you get scared, right? I made that decision but I made the decision under the guidance of the physician.
"He was getting muscle spasms, shaking, vomiting. When he stood up, he was passing out. I was very worried about him. He wanted to fight Nate and he said 'Listen the doctor told me I can't continue' and I had to say I am going to stop the weight cut because I can't go against their words. He said the hardest thing for me is when my body shuts down when I am trying to make the weight.
Michael then admitted that despite acting on the advice of the doctors, he puts blame on himself and their training camp for missing the target weight. "We started this camp heavy that is what the problem was as well," he continued. "Right now some fights are going to be at middleweight and some at welterweight but that is up to the UFC of course.
"We should have of course made weight and there is no excuses I can sit and tell you. The truth of the matter is you sign the contract and you make weight. But I am not going to jeopardise anyone's health."
UFC president Dana White confirmed the advice of the doctors which saw Chimaev instead enter a catchweight duel with Holland. The No.3 contender faced heavy criticism initially after missing weight, including from fans who he fl ipped a middle finger at after they booed him back on to the scales to make weight for his new outing.
