Khamzat Chimaev has revealed why he doesn’t want to fight No. 1 contender Nassourdine Imavov next for the UFC middleweight title.
Chimaev won the title at 185 pounds in August, defeating Dricus Du Plessis via decision, displacing the South African by decision and remaining undefeated.
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The conversation quickly turned to Chimaev’s first challenger, and the middleweight division currently has a number of credible contenders, several of whom have been booked against each other. Brendan Allen defeated the in-form Reinier de Ridder via TKO in October, but a month earlier Imavov had defeated Caio Borralho.
Imavov, who previously defeated Allen in 2024 and former champion Israel Adesanya in February of this year, looks set to become the next title challenger in 2026, with the rankings backing up his claim to a title shot.
However, Chimaev continues to call for a fight with 205-pound champion Alex Pereira, explaining that the goal is not just to win a second title. Rather, it also stems from the Russian’s relationship with Imavov, who represents France but was born in Dagestan.
“He’s a good guy,” Chimaev told ESPN. “I know him, he knows me, we know each other. If you ask me, I don’t want to fight this guy because we know each other.
Khamzat Chimaev defeated Derikus du Plessis in five rounds in August (Getty Images)
“like [as] A Muslim, he’s from Dagestan…you know what it’s like in Dagestan and Chechens, kind of like there’s a lot of drama on the internet, [things] I don’t like this.
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“But if the UFC wants it, man, I would never say ‘no.’ If the guy wants it… I would also tell his manager: ‘Man, if Nasudeen wants it, I’m open to it.’
“If he said he could wait until I got promoted, I would [grateful]… [If not,] I won’t say “no”. I want to fight this guy. It doesn’t matter to me. “
The 30-year-old Imavov is now on a five-fight win streak that brings his career record to 17-4. Meanwhile, the 31-year-old Chimaev has a record of 15-0.
Nassourdine Imavov stopped Israel Adesanya in February (AFP via Getty Images)
Chimaev broke into the UFC like an e-sports player in 2020, winning two fights in ten days, which first made UFC fans realize his talent. Two months later, he added to the hype by knocking out veteran Gerald Meerschaert in 17 seconds. However, illness and travel issues began to cloud the idea of Chimaev as a future champion.
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Nonetheless, he eventually won the title after defeating former welterweight king Kamaru Usman and former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, shattering the latter’s teeth with first-round submissions.
He took the middleweight belt from Du Plessis in a lopsided performance, winning 50-44 on all three judges’ scorecards.
