VIDEO: Khamzat Chimaev Plays With a Lion With Bare Hands

UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev tested positive for COVID recently. Subsequently, his proposed bout against Leon Edwards fell apart for the second time in quick succession.

‘Borz’ is now in his home at Chechen. Recently, a video of him playing with a lion surfaced on social media. By the looks of it, for ‘Borz’, there seems to be no difference between a lion and a domesticated kitten.

Chimaev will need some time to recover from the infection. His manager Ali Abdelaziz informed that the Russian fighter can’t start training until early January.

The UFC has no plans of canceling his bout against Edwards. Rather, they are looking to reschedule it for a convenient later date in 2021.

Leon Edwards has been out of action since his 2019 win over Rafael dos Anjos. He was temporarily removed from the UFC rankings and was forced to accept the fight against Chimaev. This is a dangerous fight for the Brit. As he has very little to gain but a lot to lose.

Edwards wanted to be a part of the January 20 card and face one of Michael Chiesa or Neil Magny. But the UFC turned down those offers as they want him to fight Chimaev only.

Khamzat Chimaev will be looking to carry on from his excellent 2020

Chimaev had an excellent 2020 as he managed three wins in quick successions. He has only fought once in the welterweight division and is ranked 15th in the division currently. But the UFC has granted him the opportunity to fight a battle-tested top contender like Leon Edwards.

Should Chimaev get past Edwards in impressive fashion, he may get a shot at the welterweight gold immediately. His unprecedented meteoric rise will be exemplary for the next newcomers.

He has set the benchmark high with his high-standards inside the Octagon. How do you think Chimaev will fare against Leon Edwards? What did you make of him playing with the cub barehanded?