Sam Calavitta revealed Khamzat Chimaev's UFC 328 weight cut went dangerously wrong when the team hired a different person for the final phase. Chimaev drank only one-quarter of the required water, vomited green bile, and was near death. The situation was complicated by Chimaev having only half a thyroid gland, which slows metabolism. Chimaev approached fight week 16 pounds over the 185-pound limit but was mismanaged during the water-loading phase. TJ Dillashaw credited Chimaev's toughness for competing in that condition and taking three rounds despite nearly dying.
Details of a catastrophic weight cut by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328 have come to light through nutritionist Sam Calavitta, who described a situation that left the middleweight contender close to death before his fight.
Calavitta revealed that Chimaev entered fight week carrying 16 pounds above the 185-pound limit and that a different, unvetted person was brought in to manage the critical final phase of the cut. That decision proved nearly fatal. Chimaev consumed only one-quarter of the water required during the loading phase, vomited green bile, and was described as being near death. Complicating the process was a pre-existing condition: Chimaev has only half a thyroid gland, which significantly slows metabolism and makes extreme weight manipulation especially dangerous.
Chimaev, known as "Borz," carries a 15-1-0 record and holds the number-one ranking in the middleweight division, also sitting tenth in the pound-for-pound standings. The 32-year-old fighting out of Allstars Training Center is one of the division's most physically imposing figures at six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. His statistical profile reflects an aggressive, multidimensional game — 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute at 60 percent accuracy, paired with 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts in the same span.
Despite the dire circumstances, Chimaev competed. Former champion TJ Dillashaw acknowledged Chimaev's toughness in getting through three rounds while in that physical condition.
Why it matters
- The mismanagement raises serious questions about fighter safety protocols and oversight in the weight-cutting process
- Chimaev's thyroid condition adds a layer of complexity that demands specialized medical and nutritional expertise during cuts
- As the top-ranked middleweight contender, any future weight-cutting failure would carry major divisional consequences for the 185-pound title picture
