Khamzat Chimaev Flown to Vegas by UFC to Receive Care for Effects of COVID-19

MMA middleweight Khamzat Chimaev was flown to Las Vegas to receive care for "lingering effects" of COVID-19 by UFC on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

Chimaev's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told Okamoto the hope is to have him back fighting in June.

The Russian, who is ranked No. 14 at welterweight, was scheduled to fight Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night on March 13 in a bout that has since been canceled after both fighters contracted the coronavirus.

Chimaev, 26, first tested positive last year, according to Abdelaziz (via Okamoto).

A video released last Friday from Frontkick.Online (warning: NSFW language) shows Chimaev dealing with chest pains, fever, headaches and overall muscle pain, the combination of which landed him in the hospital on multiple occasions.

"He was really bad," manager Majdi Shammas said in the video. "He didn't even do two rounds straight. He did one round and then rested. He started coughing, started feeling ill again, and we had to cancel the training. He even went in an ambulance to the hospital. ... When he called me, he thought he was going to die."

Now UFC President Dana White is stepping in to help provide further assistance.

It's unclear what further steps Chimaev will need to take before he can attempt training again or when UFC will look to get him his next fight.