Just a few months after securing the UFC middleweight championship, Khamzat Chimaev has shared some concerning news regarding his time as titleholder.
At UFC 319 this past August, Chimaev claimed the middleweight belt by outclassing Drikas du Plessis over five rounds. Since joining the UFC in 2020, many fans saw him as a future three-division champion, expecting that “Boltz” would inevitably capture a title in at least one weight class.
Now, only months after achieving this milestone, Chimaev has revealed surprising plans about his reign as middleweight champion.
Chimaev has made it clear he intends to continue fighting only at 185 pounds for the time being. Recently, he mentioned Nasouddin Imavov as his probable first title defense opponent. Yet, in an interview with ESPN MMA, Chimaev disclosed that his fight against Alex Pereira will be at light heavyweight, and his first defense might be his last fight at middleweight.
He explained, “I don’t get excited about fights at middleweight, but I have to do my job and make money. If the opponent is a big name, I can earn more—around $5 to $6 million instead of $3 million. I need those fights, but after one more, I plan to move up to the next weight class.”
After Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight title at UFC 320, Chimaev promptly called him out, which sparked an ongoing online rivalry between the two.
A matchup between them holds massive potential, as both are among the sport’s biggest stars. Their contrasting styles—Pereira’s striking versus Chimaev’s grappling dominance—add to the anticipation.
Fan Take: This revelation from Chimaev shakes up the middleweight division and teases a high-stakes super fight at light heavyweight, which could redefine UFC’s competitive landscape. For fight fans, this means thrilling matchups ahead and a potential shift in the sport’s hierarchy.
