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Khamzat Chimaev Next Fight: 3 Opponent Options For ‘Borz,’ Including Israel Adesanya

khamzat chimaev next fight
Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Khamzat Chimaev next fight news should arrive soon. Until then, we speculate on opponents for his next fight and review his dominant win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.

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Who will Khamzat Chimaev next fight be against?

After a year away from the cage, Chimaev made his triumphant return in October at UFC 308. To the surprise of many the 30-year-old showed no ring rust as he needed just 3:34 to make middleweight legend Robert Whittaker tap out.

Following his massive victory, there are several routes he can go for his return bout. However, his most likely next opponent will be former champion Israel Adesanya, Nassourdine Imavov, or Marvin Vettori.

  • Last Stylebender: Outside of the title picture, Chimaev vs. Adesanya is the biggest money fight in the division. It makes a lot of sense for either man’s UFC return and the winner might be guaranteed a title fight with a win.
  • Russian Sniper: Imavov is one of the hottest fighters in the division. If the company has trouble getting Chimaev a fight, Imavov would probably be willing to take on the challenge and see an opportunity to change his career with a win.
  • Italian Dream: Vettori would be a very interesting test for Chimaev. He is a rock-solid boxer, strong, and one of the best grapplers in the division. It is a matchup that might force “Borz” to win it with his fists.

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Khamzat Chimaev vs Robert Whittaker recap

Despite some in the MMA fan base believing Whittaker would be too big a test for Chimaev, the young superstar still dominated the UFC legend like he has many of his other opponents.

What Happened: It only took a few seconds for “Borz” to land a takedown on his foe. And despite the Australian’s best efforts he just couldn’t get Chimaev off of him. Eventually, Chimaev forced Whittaker to drop his guard and he locked in a fight-ending rear naked choke that dislocated some of the former champion’s teeth.

Also Read: Where does Khamzat Chimaev land in our latest UFC middleweight rankings?

The Fallout: It was another decisive victory that quieted some of the remaining Chimaev doubters. Whittaker is no longer in his prime, but he is still a top-five fighter in the weight class. The win showed that the Russian is a legitimate title contender in 2025.

What’s Next? One can only hope the UFC books Khamzat Chimaev’s next fight soon. His fans will then have to hope his health holds up and his recent VISA issues are fixed so he can compete early in 2025.

khamzat chimaev next fight
Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

The Chechen Crusher: Over his short career inside the MMA world leader, Khamzat Chimaev has become one of the most popular stars in the industry and a legitimate needle mover. And he has done that by being an unstoppable force that has met little resistance from some high-level competition inside the Octagon.

  • Khamzat Chimaev record: 14-0 (6 knockouts, 6 submissions)
  • How tall is Khamzat Chimaev UFC?: 6-foot-2
  • Khamzat Chimaev last fight: Submission win over Robert Whittaker
  • Chiamev is 9-0 inside the Octagon and has scored victories over former champions and future hall-of-famers Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman.
  • “Borz” became a favorite of his new boss by being down for a fight any time and anywhere. His first four matchups in the Octagon were split between the welterweight and middleweight divisions. And his first two fights in the promotion also took place just 10 days apart.

The Russian McGregor: Trash talk and callouts on social media is the name of the game in the UFC today. And despite English not being his first language, Chimaev has become quite adept at using his Twitter fingers.

  • The native Russia, by way of Sweden, has become an avid user of his Twitter account, using it to challenge many of the top fighters in the UFC welterweight division — including Leon Edwards, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington.
  • During a 2021 rampage of tweets, Chimaev drew attention by seeking out MMA fights with retired UFC legends Brock Lesnar and Georges St-Pierre, and a wrestling match with former two-division champion Daniel Cormier. Only Cormier answered, and the former Olympian found the challenge quite entertaining.
  • Chimaev has also made headlines in training videos. Dominating world-class talents like Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov and UFC veteran Darren Till.

Does Khamzat Chimaev have a wife?

The UFC star does not talk much about his personal life, however, there have been reports that he was married in May of 2022. Furthermore, following his win over Kamaru Usman he revealed that he now has an infant child that has become one of his new motivations in life.

Khamzat Chimaev’s net worth

The measure of a fighter’s success is the dollars and cents they stack up from a career of professional fisticuffs. It is still early days for Chimaev, but his net worth is estimated to be around $3 million.

What language does Khamzat speak?

Khamzat Chimaev is a man of many talents and that includes speaking multiple languages. He learned Russian and Chechen while growing up in the Republic of Chechnya. He eventually moved to Sweden and there he learned both Swedish and English.

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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos
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