Khamzat Chimaev had the world worried when he fell “violently ill” just before his scheduled fight with Robert Whittaker last year. It was later revealed that the Chechen star had overtrained and failed to give his body enough time to recover. Although he went on to win the fight, extending his record to 14-0, Chimaev has since admitted to past mistakes and taken steps to avoid future setbacks. Ahead of UFC 319 in Chicago, where he will compete for the middleweight title for the first time since signing with the promotion in July 2020, he appears more cautious than ever.

When Chimaev first arrived in the UFC, his high activity level quickly built momentum, but his rise was briefly interrupted. In 2021, he even claimed retirement after lingering effects from COVID-19 led to multiple cancellations, including a bout with Leon Edwards, though he ultimately stayed in the sport. He later fell ill again, which delayed the Robert Whittaker fight, but he recovered in time and emerged victorious. Recently, the challenger admitted he might still face some struggles from those issues, so he’s clearly taking measures to ensure he’s healthy when the cage door closes on fight night.

Sources inside Chimaev’s camp have told reporters that the fighter’s team has brought in personnel specifically to monitor load and recovery to prevent the kind of overtraining that has caused previous setbacks. Training partners and journalists have noted Chimaev’s propensity to push extremely hard in camp; as a result the camp is reportedly leaning on measured recovery sessions, nutrition oversight and scheduled rest days this cycle.

Why Khamzat Chimaev’s safety might depend on staying in quarantine

Khamzat Chimaev revealed in an interview with ESPN MMA that he and his team have been given strict instructions to avoid unnecessary contact with anyone outside their circle. Just days ago, a post reshared on the r/ufc Reddit channel read: “Bro’s not going outside until fight day.” The post noted, “😳 Khamzat Chimaev reveals he does not leave his house very often due to the risk of catching an illness and pulling out of his championship fight.”

Bro’s not going outside until fight day
byu/MRod42 inufc

The post also featured Chimaev’s own words: “I have to be ready, don’t get sick,” he told ESPN MMA, admitting he’s even been turning down fan photos ahead of his first title shot against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. “That’s why I’m just saying to the boys, if we go to the mall, if somebody sick fan comes, maybe we get that sickness, so I have to be careful for that.” To add another layer of precaution, Borz  even relocated half of his training camp to Southern California to avoid any potential medical setbacks before the biggest fight of his career.

Notably, a couple of weeks back at a press conference, Chimaev was seen shivering and even requested a jacket, raising eyebrows about his well-being. Since that time, though, the unbeaten UFC sensation has displayed no apparent signs of being under the weather. Even with a cloud of uncertainty hanging overhead, Dricus du Plessis isn’t backing down. He’s set on making the first move when the two clash under the dazzling lights of the United Center in Chicago.

DDP fires early shots at Khamzat Chimaev ahead of UFC 319

Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev have been trading verbal shots ever since their clash became inevitable. The reigning middleweight champion even mocked Chimaev on Instagram, writing, “Put on a shirt, princess, before you catch another cold,” a clear dig at Chimaev’s history of canceled bouts due to illness. Now, as they prepare to hit the scales ahead of UFC 319, Du Plessis has taken aim again with an even sharper message for the title challenger.

The 185-pound kingpin posted, “There’s a reason the Lion is the king of the jungle.” The remark seemed fueled by the UFC 319 pre-fight press conference, where Du Plessis was loudly booed while the Chicago crowd erupted in support of Chimaev. Despite the reaction, ‘Stillknocks’ doubled down, warning that Chimaev would be stepping into the lion’s territory, where he rules the middleweight jungle with an iron fist.

Although the press conference didn’t devolve into heated exchanges, the tension was unmistakable. With fight night looming, oddsmakers continue to favor Chimaev, but former two-division champion Henry Cejudo has recently introduced a controversial backstage tactic that could tilt the momentum toward Du Plessis. Now, with just hours left before the opening bell, who do you think will win between Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis?