UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has issued another challenge to light heavyweight king Alex Pereira, targeting a champion vs. champion showdown at the historic UFC White House event on June 14.
The undefeated Chimaev took to social media on Sunday to call out Pereira, promising a quick finish and taunting the Brazilian's fanbase in the process.
Chimaev followed up with a second post directed at Pereira's supporters, writing, "All Brazilian fans tell this boy if you're not scared tell him to fight."
The 31-year-old Chechen-born fighter has been pursuing Pereira for months, previously accusing the light heavyweight champion of "running away" from the matchup. In December, Chimaev stated he doesn't believe Pereira wants the fight, claiming "everyone knows this guy is not on my level."
Both Champions Coming Off Dominant Title Wins
Chimaev captured the middleweight title at UFC 319 in August with a dominant unanimous decision over Dricus du Plessis, landing a UFC-record 529 strikes en route to three 50-44 scorecards. He has yet to defend the belt and has fought just once per year since 2022.
Meanwhile, Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight championship at UFC 320 in October, stopping Magomed Ankalaev in just 80 seconds to become a two-time 205-pound champion. The Brazilian has since set his sights on a move to heavyweight, with rumors swirling about a potential interim title fight against Ciryl Gane while Tom Aspinall recovers from eye surgery.
White House Card Taking Shape
The UFC White House event is scheduled for June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn, with weigh-ins expected at the Lincoln Memorial. Dana White has described it as potentially "the greatest fight card ever assembled" and confirmed approximately 5,000 fans will attend the White House grounds, with another 85,000 at the nearby Ellipse park.
However, White has stated the promotion won't begin booking fights until February, leaving Chimaev's challenge in limbo for now.
Pereira has not responded to Chimaev's latest callout. The light heavyweight champion has been focused on securing a superfight against Jon Jones, though Jones recently stated that Dana White "isn't interested" in making that fight happen.