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.
