5 ranked UFC middleweights Khamzat Chimaev could defeat
Currently competing at 170lbs, Khamzat Chimaev has been vocal about his intentions on moving up to the UFC middleweight division in the future. 'Borz' already holds two wins at middleweight in the UFC, having defeated John Phillips and Gerard Meerschaert.
However, Chimaev's stock has grown exponentially since then, and it is unlikely that he would match up with anyone outside the top 15 should he make the move back up to 185lbs.
Whether 'Borz' can beat the likes of Israel Adesanya or Robert Whittaker is anyone's guess right now. But there is an argument to be made for some ranked middleweights that Chimaev to beat, even with him being only 10 fights into his pro MMA career.
In the following list, we breakdown five ranked UFC middleweights Khamzat Chimaev could defeat. Andre Muniz, Chris Weidman and Edmen Shahbazyan are all honorable mentions that 'Borz' would have a good chance against as well.
#5. No.12-ranked UFC middleweight - Brad Tavares
Brad Tavares is a UFC veteran with some solid wins under his belt. The Hawaiian native came up through The Ultimate Fighter in 2010 and has since defeated the likes of Krzysztof Jotko, Omari Akhmedov, and Antônio Carlos Júnior.
However, Tavares has always come up short just before breaking into the very elite of the division. Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, Israel Adesanya, and several more have acted as gatekeepers for Taveres' MMA career, cutting him off just before he broke out as a real contender.
It is likely that Khamzat Chimaev would do something similar. Tavares does have good takedown defense, but it would surely only be a matter of time before 'Borz' broke down Tavares' defense and handed him yet another loss to a rising prospect.