Khamzat Chimaev
15-0-0
Middleweight
About
A ferocious, hype-laden grappling phenom who tore through middleweight to win the title before a 2026 loss to Sean Strickland.
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Khamzat 'Borz' Chimaev is one of the most ferocious and hyped fighters of his era. He exploded onto the scene with a run of dominant, barely-touched finishes, then backed up the hype against elite competition — outgrappling Gilbert Burns in a war and dominating Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker — before capturing the middleweight title from Dricus du Plessis in 2025.
His reign was short-lived: Sean Strickland took the belt in 2026. An overwhelming, relentless grappler who smothers opponents and rarely absorbs damage, Chimaev is polarizing — beloved for his menacing dominance, but criticized for the outsized hype, dramatic weight misses, and repeated withdrawals that marked his rise. Either way, his fights are appointment viewing.
Why fans love Chimaev
Overwhelming, dominant grappling, menacing intensity, and a highlight reel of one-sided wins over elite names. Fans are drawn to the aura of an unstoppable force.
Why some fans hate Chimaev
His enormous hype rubbed some fans the wrong way, and his early career was dogged by dramatic weight misses and repeated fight withdrawals (including illness-related pullouts) that frustrated those waiting to see him tested.
