Khamzat Chimaev is coming for all the gold.
On August 16, 'Borz' will look to cash in on his first title opportunity when he challenges reigning and defending middleweight world champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 316 in Chicago.
Chimaev's impending title shot against 'DDP' has been a long time coming, but according to the undefeated Chechen monster, taking home the 185-pound crown is just the beginning of a journey that will see him make UFC and MMA history.
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Jack Della Maddalena would be a good fight for me," Chimaev said, referencing the UFC's reigning welterweight titleholder during an interview with ESPN. "Go down… take the belt there. If I go up, there is Ankalaev and Alex Pereira… can fight for that belt as well.
Khamzat Chimaev has already talked to his coach about moving back down to 170
Chimaev kickstarted his UFC career competing at welterweight, but a massive weight-miss in September 2022 prompted the promotion to push him up to 185. Since then, 'Borz' has teased the possibility of moving back down.
I work with a new coach and talk to him about going down again to 170," Chimaev added. "He said gimme a couple months and I’m gonna make it. I don’t know who is the champ there, this Australian guy.
Now, it sounds like he has his sights set on taking the light heavyweight belt before calling it a career.
Thus far, only one mixed martial artist has ever won three belts in the same company, that being ONE Championship superstar Anatoly Malykhin. 'Sladkiy' held the ONE middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight world titles simultaneously before surrendering his heavyweight crown to Senegal's Oumar 'Reug Reug' Kane in November.
