The Khamzat Chimaev next fight news has finally arrived and the middleweight star’s return is officially set for June. When he returns in a main event slot in Saudi Arabia, one of the best 185-pound fighters ever will be waiting to welcome him back to the Octagon.
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After eight months away from the cage, UFC boss Dana White revealed Chimaev is booked to make his comeback in a headlining spot for the company’s first-ever card in Saudi Arabia on June 22. In his return to action, “Borz” will face none other than former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
The UFC’s first event in Saudi Arabia will be a massive spotlight opportunity for Khamzat Chimaev because not only could he score the biggest victory of his career, but a win over Robert Whittaker is sure to get the 29-year-old a title fight later this year.
An elite middleweight test: The big knock on “Borz” during his career is some believe he does not have the resume deserving of consideration for a title opportunity. Even his victory over Kamaru Usman in 2023 still came again a former champion who built his legend at a weight class 15 pounds lighter.
Well, Chimaev will get the greatest test of his career against a man who is one of the best middleweights ever and is still a top-five fighter in the division today. If Chimaev can win in June it will quiet almost all of his detractors.
Striker vs. Grappler: This matchup will be a classic striker versus grappler clash. While Chimaev has solid striking he is not going to win this bout if it is mostly a standup fight. Yet, “Reaper” has not faced many relentless grapplers like Chimaev, so if the Russian can ground the former champion he may have some huge advantages on the mat.
The bottom line: This is a monumental moment in the career of Khamzat Chimaev. A win here will confirm he is one of the new faces of the company and should set up a middleweight title fight for him in 2024.
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.
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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 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.
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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 $1 million.
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.