Khamzat Chimaev next fight - Do recent updates point towards a clear date for 'Borz's' comeback?
Since arriving on the scene in 2020, UFC welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev has quickly established himself as one of MMA’s biggest stars.
‘Borz’ is currently 12-0 in MMA and has reeled off six straight wins in the UFC. However, his last appearance in the octagon came back in September 2022, where he dispatched late-notice foe Kevin Holland in the first round.
Khamzat Chimaev taps out Kevin Holland in the first round.
#UFC279 https://t.co/9kWjh1Bn5k
Since then, Khamzat Chimaev has been linked to a number of return fights, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
Based on recent updates, though, is it possible to make an educated guess on exactly where and when ‘Borz’ will make his comeback?
One rumor has linked Chimaev with a fight against former welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman, with the bout likely taking place at UFC 294 on October 21 in Abu Dhabi.
This rumor was given more credence by a recent interview ‘Borz’ did with Swedish outlet Expressen. Quotes translated by BJPenn.com have Chimaev state the following:
“We train as usual here in Stockholm. We were in Dubai for training camp but came back now. Then, a month before the match, we will go to Abu Dhabi. But otherwise we train as usual here in Stockholm. We are ready for the match. It could be Usman, 90%. But he’s talking about two kilos, he doesn’t want to gain two kilos. Dana White talks about 82 kilos [181lbs]. We’ll see. There was no other match, it’s just him.”
#UFC #MMAKhamzat Chimaev says there is a ’90 percent’ chance he will fight former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman next 🔥 #UFC #MMA
bjpenn.com/mma-news/khamz…
This report would appear to align with an Instagram post recently shared by Chimaev, which showed him training, along with a caption mentioning October 21 in Abu Dhabi.
The idea that Chimaev would want to fight at a catchweight, or even at 185 pounds, despite competing for most of his career at 170 pounds appears to be gaining traction too.
Following his recent win over Marvin Vettori, No.3-ranked middleweight Jared Cannonier was questioned about fighting ‘Borz’. He suggested he’d be down with the fight, but only if it were for a title shot.
Jared Cannonier seemed a little agitated when I asked him about a potential fight with Khamzat https://t.co/MEqKst80QE
No.11-ranked Brendan Allen also suggested he’d be willing to take on Chimaev when he was asked about why he’d been instructed not to call out Cannonier after his recent win over Bruno Silva.
‘All In’ stated “I fear no man,” but it seems more likely that the UFC is lining up the Cannonier vs. Chimaev fight instead.
Based on the current information, then, it’d probably be fair to guess that fans will see Khamzat Chimaev in action on October 21 in Abu Dhabi. Another educated guess would suggest he’ll be fighting either Usman or Cannonier, depending on his choice of weight class.
Khamzat Chimaev next fight: Could ‘Borz’ really fight in Paris and Abu Dhabi?
Khamzat Chimaev has not fought since September 2022, but it does appear that ‘Borz’ is itching for a return fight.
While all current rumors point to him competing in a big fight at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi in October, a recent Twitter post from the welterweight superstar suggested that he could be aiming to return even earlier.
The post saw Chimaev state that he wants to fight at the UFC’s Paris event on September 2 before competing again in Abu Dhabi seven weeks later.
I am ready to fight in paris ready to fight after in abu dhabi let me smash somebody @ufc
The likelihood of this seems low, but if any fighter could do it, it would be Khamzat Chimaev.
‘Borz’ famously made his octagon debut on late notice on July 16, 2020, beating John Phillips. Remarkably, he then returned to action just 10 days later, stopping Rhys McKee with punches to break the record for the fastest consecutive wins in modern UFC history.
#UFCFightIsland3Khamzat Chimaev is a PROBLEM! 😤
He finishes Rhys McKee and gets his second win in 10 days. In different weight classes! 😳 #UFCFightIsland3 https://t.co/IqAF8rm1Br