A new challenger has stepped forward to face Khamzat Chimaev ahead of his initial title defense. Chimaev appears to have little intention of staying in the middleweight division for long and is already eyeing a move up to light heavyweight. The undefeated champion is expected to be out of action for several months due to surgery, delaying his return.
Initially, Chimaev named Nassourdin Imavov as his next opponent but later confessed that he wasn’t particularly eager for that matchup. Imavov, who has a history with Chimaev, has made things more intriguing by placing bets on the champion’s comeback.
Meanwhile, Joaquin Buckley, a UFC welterweight, offered Chimaev $50,000 to last one round without wrestling in their next fight. Buckley didn’t want a repeat of Chimaev’s cautious performance against Drix du Plessis at UFC 319, where the fight was one-sided but lacked aggression from Chimaev. Buckley challenged both Chimaev and Imavov to the betting wager to spice up their future bout in 2026.
Back in 2022, Chimaev showed no fear of fighting Buckley, even threatening him backstage before UFC 273 when Buckley was discussing potential matchups with Darren Till. This demonstrated Chimaev’s readiness to face all comers and assert his dominance in the division.
Fan Take: This news highlights Khamzat Chimaev’s rising stardom and the intense interest in his career trajectory, especially as he contemplates moving up weight classes. For fight fans, these challenges and callouts promise exciting matchups that could reshape the future landscape of the UFC.
