Khamzat Chimaev wants the middleweight title back. He also needs his hands fixed first.
The former champion told MMA Fighting that any time off he takes will be short. He wrestles Gilbert Burns tonight at RAF 13 in Coral Gables, a rematch of their 2022 UFC bout.
I want to fight. That’s why I want to fight. It’s not crazy big injuries where you need to be off from sparring. It’s just my hands. I punch hard so I always have problems with my hands and I have to fix it.
He knows what people will assume.
It’s not going to take a long time but people think Khamzat is not going to fight. If I do break off, it’s going to be one or two months. Still going to be doing recovery, training.
Chimaev has been loud on social media about wanting a fight booked. The UFC has announced nothing. The expectation is that middleweight champion Sean Strickland defends against Nassourdine Imavov before the year ends, which leaves Chimaev waiting.
He did find one taker.
Only Caio [Borralho] wanted to fight, but he had an injury when I asked about October. He said November or December, he will be ready.
Chimaev lost the belt to Strickland by split decision at UFC 328 in May, the first defeat of his MMA career. He is less interested in payback than in the championship itself, and he already has a pick for who comes out of the next title fight.
I would be happy who is the winner if they come back faster Nassourdine or Sean, who is the winner, I want to fight this guy. It’s a tough fight. But I go for Nassourdine.
