Khamzat Chimaev has kept his cards close to his chest after being shouted down by US President-elect Donald Trump.
The Swedish middleweight prospect is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC and has clearly caught the attention of one of the most powerful men in the world. He recently defeated Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 and is now a top contender for 185-pound gold.
And President-elect Trump could play a key role in his title fight in 2025. Chimaev has not fought in America since 2022, opting to compete exclusively in Abu Dhabi annually.
Donald Trump gave Khamzat Chimaev a shoutout
President-elect Donald Trump is a noted fight fan and has regularly attended UFC events with promotion CEO Dana White. He has a number of favorite fighters, especially his outspoken supporters like Henry Cejudo, Colby Covington and Bo Nickal.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
But one name that surprisingly got the support of the controversial politician was Khamzat Chimaev. The middleweight joked that he would probably have a better chance of fighting in America if Trump defeated Kamala Harris earlier this month, which he did in a landslide victory.
Trump responded to a video of Chimaev's comments on Instagram, calling the Swedish star “A great fighter.” However, he has yet to confirm whether he will allow the fighter to compete in America once he takes over from Joe Biden in January.
Khamzat Chimaev insists he wants to stay out of politics
After hearing President-elect Trump's endorsement, Chimaev says he was flooded with messages of support from friends on social media and by text message. But he wants to avoid politics and responded relatively moderately to the big shout.
“I don't know,” he told Adam Zuba on his Hustle Show podcast. “Yes, everyone was texting me, 'Trump mentioned you.' Well, he's a big fight fan. The head of the Chechen Republic is very supportive of me, he is always there for me and supports me.
“I don't like politics, I don't want to say anything about this president or that president. We, ordinary people, have no idea what is really going on in the world, but I stand for peace. So if a president wants peace, I agree with him.”
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