‘Almost dying’ - Weight cutting ‘fraud’ had Khamzat ‘on the verge of death’ ahead of UFC 328

Key Points:

• Khamzat Chimaev struggled significantly to make the 185-pound middleweight limit for his UFC 328 title defense against Sean Strickland, reportedly starting his camp nearly 50 pounds over the limit.
• Former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw revealed that Chimaev trusted a fraudulent weight-cutting method that nearly endangered his life, exacerbated by Chimaev’s partial thyroid condition affecting his metabolism.
• Despite severe physical distress during the weight cut, including vomiting green bile, Chimaev displayed remarkable cardio and toughness during the fight, though he ultimately lost by split decision.
• After the loss, Chimaev initially announced a move to light heavyweight but later demanded an immediate rematch, while former champion Michael Bisping advised him to treat future fights with a lighter or no weight cut, akin to fighting at welterweight.
• Bisping criticized extreme weight cuts in MMA, advocating for fighters to compete closer to their natural weight to reduce injuries, improve performance, and enhance recovery.