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Khamzat Chimaev plots July return, but potential opponent Neil Magny may not wait

Highly touted UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev won’t retire; instead, he’s plotting a return to action later this year.

The 26-year-old Chechen fighter, who took the world by storm in 2020 when he rattled off three straight wins after joining the UFC roster, has been out of action for several months after contracting COVID-19 and wrestling with long-term symptoms. After he was forced out of two different dates for a fight against top-five ranked welterweight Leon Edwards, he hinted at walking away from the sport for good as he struggled to recover from the deadly disease.