Khamzat Chimaev sharpens tools by training with Olympic gold medallist ahead of Robert Whittaker showdown at UFC 308

Khamzat Chimaev has leveled up his training ahead of his eagerly anticipated clash against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.

The pair will collide at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, featuring on a stacked card headlined by Ilia Tuporia vs Max Holloway on October 26.

Better still, the fight represents an opportunity for Khamzat Chimaev to get some much-needed momentum behind him, after suffering from long spells of inactivity in recent years.

The 30-year-old is, after all, one of the brightest stars the UFC roster has to offer and, before long, will undoubtedly be looking for a shot at middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesKhamzat Chimaev trains with Olympic gold medallist Razambek ZhamalovChimaev comes off a majority decision victory against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, stepping in at late notice to claim arguably his biggest win yet.

Even before his appearance at UFC 294, ‘Borz’ was able to captivate MMA fans with scintillating performances against the likes of Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns.

But now, Chimaev is entering a stage of his career where it is, quite simply, sink or swim, with a shot at the middleweight belt remaining firmly on his radar.

Ahead of his fight with Robert Whittaker, though, the Russian has called upon the services of elite wrestler Razambek Zhamalov, who secured gold in the men’s 74 kg freestyle event at this year’s Paris Olympics.

And so, with Chimaev hoping to elevate his training, Zhamalov’s impact could represent the difference between winning and losing.

“You can learn a lot from such a master and adopt the enormous experience that he has,” Chimaev said on his Instagram post.

“Razambek is a very bright, spectacular and competent fighter who has shown us some tricks from his arsenal that will surely benefit each of us.”

Is Robert Whittaker Khamzat Chimaev’s toughest test yet?With Chimaev releasing footage of himself wrestling Zhamalov on social media, it would appear that the formidable contender’s camp is going according to plan.

Still, it could be said that Whittaker represents his toughest opponent thus far, with the Australian coming off a strong performance against Ikram Aliskerov in June.

Not only that, but the 33-year-old will enter the contest with a wealth of experience in his locker, having only ever lost at the top level against the likes of Israel Adesanya and Du Plessis.