Although Khamzat Chimaev is eager to return to the ring, it doesn’t seem like he will be competing in the UFC 300 main event.
On Monday’s episode of The MMA Hour, rumors regarding Chimaev’s possible involvement gained traction.
Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting revealed that the UFC has considered the undefeated Chechen as a potential opponent for either middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis or welterweight champion Leon Edwards in two of the matchups the promotion has looked to book as a main event.
Unfortunately, Chimaev says he won’t be available for that card because Ramadan ends a few days before UFC 300 takes place on April 13.
“I’ll take on everyone,” Chimaev declared to MMA Uncensored. Anyone can be Leon Edwards or Dricus du Plessis, but not during Ramadan. Ramadan [is] probably during UFC 300.
“Perhaps an individual in Saudi Arabia. There is a fight I want to have. No longer fighting throughout Ramadan.
Muslims who follow the Islamic faith are obligated to keep a severe fast during Ramadan, going without food or water during the day, from March 10 to April 9.
The UFC will travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time on June 22 in Riyadh.
Shortly after Ramadan started in 2022, Chimaev squared off against Gilbert Burns in what turned out to be his last welterweight match.
Chimaev then faced Kevin Holland at catchweight before switching to middleweight during his most recent matchup with Kamaru Usman.
This year, Ramadan concludes concurrently with UFC 300 fight week, meaning Chimaev would be capping off a month-long fast prior to the competition.
Naturally, Chimaev is not the only Muslim who has given up on combat during the month of Ramadan. Throughout his career, Khabib Nurmagomedov, the former lightweight champion of the UFC,
is renowned for refusing to participate anywhere near Ramadan, which meant that his bouts were typically scheduled for the beginning or end of any given year.
Belal Muhammad, meantime, has fought during Ramadan for the entirety of his professional career, even if he acknowledges that it’s a personal decision that he makes and respects those who choose not to.
In 2018, Muhammad remarked, “I’m just one of those where I’ve been doing it my whole life.” “I played football in high school and always practiced around Ramadan, and I feel like it’s harder today. It elevates me to a completely new mental state.