Khamzat Chimaev Bio
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev, born on 1 May 1994, is a Russian-Emirati professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC Middleweight Champion. Known by the nickname “Borz,” meaning “The Chechen wolf,” Chimaev has built an undefeated-to-one reputation through dominant wrestling, heavy ground-and-pound, and a series of record-setting UFC performances.
Chimaev holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has competed internationally in freestyle wrestling, including representing Sweden at the national level. He is widely regarded as one of the most physically imposing and tactically complete fighters of his generation.
Early Life and Background
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev was born in Gvardeyskoye, in the Chechen Republic of Russia, and grew up in a poor and conservative Muslim Chechen family. He began wrestling at the age of five in his home village and went on to compete at the junior level of the Russian National Championships, where he reportedly won a bronze medal. Wrestling quickly became the defining structure of his childhood, shaping his discipline and physical development from an early age.
In 2013, at the age of 18, Chimaev emigrated to Sweden with his mother to join his older brother. The move marked a major turning point in his athletic journey, giving him access to stronger clubs and a higher level of competition. Before turning professional, he worked at a poultry factory in Kalmar and also held security jobs, while continuing to wrestle at clubs such as BK Athén.
Path to MMA
After settling in Sweden, Chimaev quickly established himself as one of the country’s top freestyle wrestlers, winning gold at the Swedish Freestyle National Championships in 2016 and 2017 at 86 kilograms and again in 2018 at 92 kilograms. Across those three tournaments he posted a 12-0 record, pinning three opponents, recording seven technical falls, and outscoring rivals 105-2. He also competed in judo and had four combat sambo fights, expanding his grappling base.
Chimaev began training in MMA at the age of 23 and joined the Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, where he worked alongside Alexander Gustafsson, Ilir Latifi, and Reza Madadi. Between September 2017 and April 2018, he compiled a 3-0 amateur record, including a submission win over future IMMAF World Champion Khaled Laallam. He turned professional on 26 May 2018 and went on to fight across several promotions before reaching the UFC.
Khamzat Chimaev Career
Early Career (2018-2019)
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev launched his professional MMA career on the Swedish regional circuit in 2018, winning his first two fights by technical knockout and rear-naked choke. He then signed with Brave Combat Federation in the Middle East, where he earned four straight wins inside the organization. His welterweight debut against Ikram Aliskerov at Brave CF 23 produced a first-round knockout via uppercut, earning Brave’s Knockout of the Night award.
Across his time in Brave CF, Chimaev built a reputation for finishing opponents quickly, with several of his wins coming within the first round. A planned challenge for the BCF Welterweight Championship was canceled after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event’s postponement, leading Chimaev to sign with the UFC instead.
UFC Breakthrough (2020-2022)
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev announced himself on the UFC stage in 2020 with three consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses. He submitted John Phillips in his promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 13, then stopped Rhys McKee ten days later at UFC on ESPN 14, setting a modern UFC record for the fastest turnaround between wins. His third bonus came after knocking out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds at UFC Fight Night 178, completing the fastest three-fight winning streak in modern UFC history at 66 days.
After being forced off multiple fight cards due to a severe bout with COVID-19 in late 2020, Chimaev returned in October 2021 and submitted Li Jingliang at UFC 267 to claim his fourth Performance of the Night bonus. He followed that with a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in April 2022, which earned the Fight of the Night award. Later that year, a weight miss at UFC 279 forced a reshuffled card, and he instead submitted Kevin Holland in the first round at a 180-pound catchweight.
Middleweight Title Era (2023-2026)
After moving to middleweight, Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev defeated former Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman by majority decision at UFC 294 in October 2023. He then submitted former Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker via face crank in the first round at UFC 308 in October 2024, earning another Performance of the Night award. On 16 August 2025 at UFC 319, Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis by unanimous decision to capture the UFC Middleweight Championship, becoming the first athlete representing the United Arab Emirates to win a UFC title.
Chimaev made his first title defense against former champion Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on 9 May 2026, but lost the belt by split decision in what was his first professional MMA defeat. Outside the UFC, he signed with Real American Freestyle in April 2026 and headlined RAF 10 on 13 June 2026 against Dillon Danis at a 205-pound catchweight, winning the match by pinfall.
Style and Strengths
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev relies on a wrestling-first approach, using takedowns and top control to impose his size and physicality on opponents. Once grounded, he blends heavy ground-and-pound with active submission threats, drawing frequent stylistic comparisons to Khabib Nurmagomedov for his handcuff positioning and leg hooks. From the orthodox stance, he pairs basic boxing with well-timed kicks, and he often feints takedowns to open up his punching power.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chimaev’s most celebrated UFC moments include his 17-second knockout of Gerald Meerschaert, his three consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses across 66 days in 2020, his first-round submission of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, and his title-winning unanimous decision over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in 2025. He also holds the distinction of becoming the first UAE-based fighter to claim a UFC championship.
Khamzat Chimaev Career Wins
Across his professional MMA career, Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev has compiled 15 verified professional victories, finishing opponents through a balanced mix of knockouts, submissions, and decisions. His finishing instincts have been a defining feature of his rise through regional promotions, Brave Combat Federation, and the UFC.
UFC Highlights
In the UFC, Chimaev has earned multiple Performance of the Night bonuses for finishes of John Phillips, Rhys McKee, Gerald Meerschaert, Li Jingliang, and Robert Whittaker, along with a Fight of the Night award for his unanimous decision win over Gilbert Burns at UFC 273. His first-round stoppage of Whittaker at UFC 308 and his title-winning decision over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 stand as his most recent signature victories.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Chimaev collected four straight wins in Brave Combat Federation, including knockouts of Marko Kisič and Ikram Aliskerov and a 35-second finish of Sidney Wheeler. He also went unbeaten through three Swedish Freestyle National Championship tournaments from 2016 to 2018, posting a 12-0 record across those competitions.
Khamzat Chimaev Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev grew up in a poor and conservative Muslim Chechen family in the village of Gvardeyskoye. He has an older brother named Artur, who also competes in freestyle wrestling. The brothers’ shared wrestling background helped shape Chimaev’s early athletic development.
Personal Life
Chimaev is married, having wed on 21 May 2022 in Chechnya. He is known for a visible scar on his lip, which he received at the age of two when he fell on concrete stairs, an injury that left him unable to breathe correctly through one nostril. After living in Sweden for many years, he moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2023 and received Emirati citizenship in January 2025.
2025 Season Performance
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev’s 2025 campaign was defined by his return to the middleweight title picture and his historic championship win. After his 2024 submission of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, Chimaev was booked into a middleweight title fight with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 on 16 August 2025, which he won by unanimous decision to claim the UFC Middleweight Championship and his sixth Performance of the Night bonus.
His championship victory also carried historic significance, making him the first athlete representing the United Arab Emirates to hold a UFC title, following his receipt of Emirati citizenship in January 2025. The performance cemented his standing as one of the UFC’s top pound-for-pound competitors entering the following year.
