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Topics: Khamzat Chimaev, UFC, MMA, Nate Diaz
Nasir Jabbar
Khamzat Chimaev has opened up about his scarred lip that still causes him problems to this day as he continues his meteoric ascent in the UFC.
Chimaev sports a noticeable facial mark and he revealed the painful childhood story behind his scarred lip.
The Chechnya-born Swedish national delved into his upbringing by recalling a horrific anecdote that saw him fall down on concrete, busting his lip, nose and teeth.
What's more, the UFC star suffers to this day as a result of his nasty fall as a kid.
He says that he still can't breathe through his right nostril, making his incredible rise in the UFC even more impressive.
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"My mom told me this, but I don't remember myself. I was two years old and we had a big staircase in our house and I fell down on the concrete," he explained.
"I had a ripped lip; a couple of my teeth were knocked out and I also broke my nose.
"I still can't breathe from my right nostril."
Chimaev's lip scar has even been subjected to cruel taunts by Conor McGregor, who mocked his appearance - calling him 'rat lip'.
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Chimaev put the welterweight division on notice following his drubbing of Li Jingliang at UFC 267.
'Borz' made a triumphant return to action, submitting the Chinese fighter in the first round of their bout.
He enhanced his budding reputation after exploding onto the MMA scene on 'Fight Island' in 2020.
Chimaev set an incredible UFC record for the fastest time between Octagon wins, with two victories in 10 days following dominant wins over John Phillips and Rhys McKee.
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He then dismantled Gerald Meerschaert as he showed off his crisp striking, knocking him out with a big right hand.
Chimaev most recently miss the weight for his much anticipated fight against Nat Diaz, and will now face Kevin Holland instead.