“I’m looking forward to him getting a title fight in ’25.” That’s what Dana White said on The Jim Rome Show last year—right after Khamzat Chimaev practically cracked Robert Whittaker’s face at UFC 308. The UFC boss was confident that ‘Borz’ would be a bigger draw than ever. He even doubled down in the same interview, saying, “I want him to fight in the United States.” Now, Chimaev is finally set to return on U.S. soil, fighting for the championship vs Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. The fans are hyped to witness the clash. But not everyone seems thrilled about it. 

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that very few people have ever doubted ‘Borz’s capability as one of the best fighters on the current UFC roster. Many believed that Chimaev lifting the gold in the welterweight division was only a matter of time. And that belief didn’t fade even after he moved up to middleweight. However, a different question has started to bother fans and pundits alike. Especially voices like Din Thomas, who argue that Chimaev might not make a reliable champion due to his history of pull-outs. But is that even true? Let’s dive in and figure it out. 

Din Thomas’ comments — Why he thinks Khamzat Chimaev can’t be relied on 

Former UFC fighter and now analyst Din Thomas stirred up debate among MMA fans with his recent take. Speaking to MMA Junkie, he said, “If Khamzat wins, it’s a disaster. You can’t tell me a part of you isn’t just thinking, ‘This fight might not actually happen.’ Some of these guys habitually struggle just to make it to the dance.” Thomas was clearly taking a jab at Chimaev’s track record of pulling out of fights. While many fans didn’t take the 54-year-old vet’s comments lightly, it’s hard to deny that his concerns have come from a place. 

‘Borz’ might have a perfect record, but his history of not making it to the fights has raised valid concerns. He’s had a total of six canceled bouts. Now, blaming him for all of them wouldn’t be fair. Three of those were with Leon Edwards during the COVID era, and Paulo Costa was the one who pulled out of their UFC 294 clash because of an elbow infection. However, the core issues that Thomas might be pointing toward are two-fold. 

First, the violent illness Chimaev endured before the Robert Whittaker fight in Saudi Arabia. Second, the recurring visa problems he has faced, which even concerned Dana White. So, before we get to the bottom of it and answer those questions, we need to look at the head honcho’s role in all this.  

Dana White’s history of problems with Borz’s cancelled fights 

If anyone other than the fans had a reason to be upset about Chimaev missing multiple fights, it’s UFC boss Dana White himself. Imagine putting together a massive spectacle, only for one of your star fighters to fall ill! Or worse, not even secure a visa to enter the country. That’s the kind of stuff that stings. And to be fair, White had every reason to be livid, and he didn’t exactly hide his frustration either. 

The promotion had plans to include Chimaev on the UFC 252 card, and White did everything he could to bring the undefeated beast to U.S. soil. But speaking to Yahoo Sports back in 2020, a disappointed White admitted, “It’s just we’ve got to work on getting him into the country. It ain’t easy to get people into the country right now.” Getting a visa was tougher for ‘Borz’ than tossing opponents around inside the cage. But the visa issue wasn’t the only hurdle he faced. 

Chimaev eventually made his return to the United States and went to war with Gilbert Burns at UFC 273—a fight that instantly became a classic. But things took a sharp turn when he missed weight by 7.5 pounds ahead of his bout with Nate Diaz at UFC 279. It was a nightmare for the promotion. ‘Borz’ was pulled from the main event and instead faced Kevin Holland, whom he dismantled in the first round. 

However, Dana White became pretty clear about what lies ahead for the Chechnyan native’s future. Speaking at the UFC 279 post-fight presser, he said, “We have to look at it and figure it out, but what makes sense is for him to fight at 185.” Did that solve the problem?  Short answer: No. Because another massive one was at the door! 

The illness problems escalated before Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to face Robert Whittaker at the UFC Abu Dhabi main event last June. Photos of him in a hospital bed, dealing with a compromised immune system, scared everyone. But who was more terrified than all of us? Once again, it was the UFC head honcho himself.

Dana White, speaking on The Jim Rome Show in 2024, said, “Every time this guy gets close to a fight, I see video footage of him on the ground, violently ill. He was hospitalized again.” That eventually led to Chimaev pulling out of the Middle East headliner against ‘The Reaper’. Well, that’s a lot of concerns for sure. But again, it begs the ultimate question. 

What if Chimaev defeats Dricus du Plessis and becomes the middleweight champion at UFC 319? Will all these issues resurface, making him one of the most inactive champions in UFC history? Would Din Thomas be proven right after all? Let’s try to answer those questions while taking a closer look at his next fight. 

Why Khamzat Chimaev will be a great champion after beating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 

Well, that’s a big claim to kick things off—but there are definitely a few reasons to believe Khamzat Chimaev might end up being more active than expected if he dethrones Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. To start, let’s take Michael Bisping’s perspective. ‘The Count’ recently addressed Din Thomas’s comments in a YouTube video. And while he lightly agreed that Chimaev’s history of illness could potentially lead to periods of inactivity, he didn’t sound too concerned overall.

In fact, Bisping pointed out that ‘Borz’ had no major issues making the 185-pound limit, which removes a big question mark around his weight cuts. Of course, only Chimaev truly knows how his health will hold up in the long run—but for now, things seem under control. Meanwhile, White also cleared up another major concern that could’ve been a deal-breaker.

Speaking at the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight presser earlier this year, White confidently said, “Don’t listen to any of that bulls—t — he’ll get inside the United States. I’m very confident.” And with U.S. President Donald Trump backing the organization, visa issues don’t appear to be a problem anymore. At least not for a star like Khamzat.

So, if Chimaev does beat Du Plessis in the UFC 319 main event on August 16th in Chicago, there’s actually very little reason to believe he would be a “disaster” for the promotion. On the contrary, we might finally see him inside the Octagon more often or maybe even twice a year, which is right in line with most UFC champs.

That said, what do you think? Will Chimaev turn out to be an active champion or not? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear your take!