Khamzat Chimaev: record, style and what is next
Who Khamzat Chimaev is and where he stands
Khamzat Chimaev is a middleweight known as "Borz", Chechen for wolf, and as of 30 September 2026 his record is 15-1. The UFC rankings list him as the number one middleweight contender behind champion Sean Strickland and number 12 in the men's pound-for-pound list, and his UFC athlete page shows no fight scheduled.
He was born on 1 May 1994 in Gvardeyskoye in the Chechen Republic and moved to Sweden at 18, according to Wikipedia. He won three Swedish freestyle wrestling titles (2015, 2016 and 2018), began MMA at 23 at Allstars Training Center in Stockholm and turned professional in May 2018. The same source says he has held UAE citizenship since January 2025.
He was the UFC middleweight champion from 16 August 2025 until 9 May 2026, when Strickland beat him by split decision at UFC 328 in Newark. It is the only loss on his record.
How Chimaev fights
Chimaev wins by taking the fight to the floor and staying there. He uses his freestyle wrestling to get opponents down, then combines ground-and-pound with submission attempts. In his first two UFC fights he out-landed opponents 192 to 2 in strikes, per Wikipedia, and his UFC page lists a takedown defence of 88 per cent.
His clearest example is UFC 319. He beat Dricus du Plessis 50-44 on all three cards, landing a UFC-record 529 total strikes to 45 and completing 12 takedowns, with more than 21 minutes of control across the five rounds, as ESPN reported.
He is also a real striker. He fights orthodox with heavy hands and mixes in basic boxing and kicks, and he uses takedown feints to set up strikes as well as the other way round. Six of his wins are by knockout and six by submission on the UFC page. The limit showed against Strickland, who neutralised him after a first round Chimaev controlled.
The road to the middleweight title
Chimaev won his first six professional fights between 2018 and 2019, all inside the distance, before making his UFC debut on 16 July 2020 with a submission of John Phillips. He stopped Rhys McKee ten days later and knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in 17 seconds that September.
Visa and health problems interrupted the rise, as ESPN noted after UFC 319. When he returned he submitted Li Jingliang in the first round at UFC 267 in October 2021, beat Gilbert Burns on points at welterweight at UFC 273 in April 2022 in a Fight of the Night, and submitted Kevin Holland with a D'Arce choke in September 2022.
After a year away he fought at middleweight and beat Kamaru Usman by majority decision at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi on 21 October 2023. CBS Sports reported that he won the first round 10-8 on all three cards but hurt his right hand, and that a late takedown in round three settled it. At UFC 308 a year later, also in Abu Dhabi, he took Robert Whittaker down within about 15 seconds and finished him with a face crank at 3:34 of round one, per CBS Sports.
The recent run: title win, then the first loss
The title came at UFC 319 at the United Center in Chicago on 16 August 2025, where Du Plessis was overwhelmed for five rounds. That win made Chimaev 15-0 and gave him his first championship.
He lost it at UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in Newark. The UFC scorecards show Strickland winning 48-47, 48-47 and 47-48, so two judges gave it to Strickland and one to Chimaev. Wikipedia notes that 13 of 24 media outlets scored it for Chimaev, which tells you how close it was. ESPN credited Strickland's striking and defensive grappling, and its fight grades said Chimaev controlled the opening round before the fight settled into a jab-heavy contest.
Sources give the date as 9 May (Wikipedia and the UFC scorecards page) or 10 May (the UFC athlete page), but the result and the scores are the same everywhere.
What happens next for Chimaev
Nothing is booked. As of 30 September 2026 the UFC athlete page lists no upcoming fight, and Chimaev said in an interview reported on 13 September that he is targeting December, adding that he would take a break if nothing came together because he has injuries that need treatment. Yahoo Sports reported that he has dropped the push for an immediate Strickland rematch.
Strickland is expected to defend against Nassourdine Imavov, with Yahoo Sports citing rumours of UFC 335 on 12 December 2026. Chimaev has named Imavov, Dricus du Plessis and Caio Borralho among opponents he would take, and Yardbarker also raised the question of whether he stays at middleweight. A win over a top-five opponent would put him back in the title picture quickly. A second loss would make the wrestling-first approach harder to defend as a route to the belt.
Sources
- UFC: Khamzat Chimaev athlete page
- UFC: Official rankings
- Wikipedia: Khamzat Chimaev
- ESPN: Chimaev dominates Du Plessis, captures title at UFC 319
- ESPN: UFC 328 results and analysis, Strickland narrowly defeats Chimaev
- ESPN: UFC 328 fight grades
- UFC: UFC 328 official scorecards
- CBS Sports: UFC 308 results, Khamzat Chimaev rolls through Robert Whittaker
- CBS Sports: UFC 294 results, Khamzat Chimaev outpoints Kamaru Usman
- Yahoo Sports: Khamzat Chimaev says if he does not get a fight by December, he is taking time off
- Yahoo Sports: Sean Strickland all but confirms Nassourdine Imavov as his next challenger
- Yardbarker: Khamzat Chimaev seemingly confirms next opponent
FAQs
What is Khamzat Chimaev's MMA record?
As of 30 September 2026 Khamzat Chimaev is 15-1, according to the UFC athlete page. His only defeat is a split decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in May 2026. Before that he was 15-0, including nine UFC wins, and the UFC page lists six knockouts and six submissions among his wins.
Is Khamzat Chimaev still UFC middleweight champion?
No. Chimaev won the middleweight title from Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 on 16 August 2025 and lost it to Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 328 in May 2026. Strickland is champion, and Chimaev is ranked number one among the middleweight contenders.
How does Khamzat Chimaev win fights?
Chimaev wins with freestyle wrestling: he takes opponents down, holds top position and uses ground-and-pound or submissions. At UFC 319 he landed 12 takedowns and a UFC-record 529 total strikes. He also has knockout power, but Strickland showed that an opponent who defends takedowns can turn it into a jab-heavy fight.
Who did Khamzat Chimaev lose to?
Sean Strickland beat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in Newark in May 2026. The cards read 48-47, 48-47 for Strickland and 47-48 for Chimaev. It was the first loss of Chimaev's professional career and ended his 15-fight winning run.
When is Khamzat Chimaev's next fight?
No fight is booked as of 30 September 2026. Chimaev has said he is aiming for December and will take time off for injuries if nothing materialises. He has mentioned Nassourdine Imavov, Dricus du Plessis and Caio Borralho as possible opponents, but none of those matchups has been announced by the UFC.