Over the weekend, Khamzat Chimaev suffered the first defeat of his career, losing to Sean Strickland via split decision and relinquishing the UFC middleweight title without ever defending it. Along with the belt, the “Borz” lost his undefeated status, and the aura of invincibility that had surrounded him for years is now shattered.
What went wrong for Khamzat?
Was it the weight cut or the mental game? What broke for Chimaev after the first round? In previous fights against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, Chimaev’s reputation took hits and questions arose about his true potential, but he responded emphatically to critics in subsequent performances. Strickland went further, showing that there is a blueprint to beat Chimaev. The super-star status of the “Borz” has been shaken, the mystique of a terrifying champion who crushes everyone is gone, and his prospects now look extremely unclear.
The biggest question: What’s next for Chimaev?
The situation remains contradictory. Before the Strickland fight, Chimaev said he wanted to move up to light heavyweight so he could eat normally and stop restricting himself. It’s not surprising, given that he had to cut from 105 kg (according to Arman Tsarukyan), which is a typical light heavyweight weight between fights. Dana White also mentioned on the press conference that Chimaev is moving to 93 kg: “He told me, ‘I don’t want to fight in this weight class anymore.’ His move up is exciting.”
On the other hand, Chimaev took to social media to promise Strickland they would meet again soon and asked Sean to let him know when he might be ready to return. This hints at a potential rematch at middleweight, even though Chimaev seemingly no longer wants to cut to that division. However, an immediate rematch is far from guaranteed. For now, the best option for the “Borz” might be to take a pause and decide his future. Former UFC fighter Derek Brunson noted that Chimaev’s body language after the loss suggested he would take a long break—or even retire.
What awaits Chimaev at light heavyweight if he does move up?
There was once a possibility of an immediate title shot, but that is no longer relevant. Still, the power of Chimaev’s name persists, and given the problematic state of the division, there is a chance he could land a contender fight. A suitable opponent exists in Paulo Costa. The conflict between them is less public but real, as the two have disliked each other for a long time, and Costa has expressed interest in fighting Chimaev. Alternatively, a bout with Jiri Prochazka could be an option.
But the problem is that any future fight for the “Borz” will come with doubts. The truth is that you are only as good as your last fight. When Chimaev dominated du Plessis, everyone believed he could run through any fighter in both divisions. Now, even envisioning a fight with Costa raises many concerns: will his stamina hold at 93 kg? Will his wrestling work as effectively as it did against du Plessis? What if Paulo defends the takedowns—will Chimaev’s striking skills be enough? All of this stems from Strickland shattering the myth of the invincible and terrifying Khamzat.
This is certainly not the best time for Chimaev. However, a move to light heavyweight currently seems the most logical path, especially if weight cutting remains an issue. Yet, even a retirement would not come as a huge surprise. It all depends on his mental state. But many fans would love to see whether he can pursue a second belt or a rematch.