Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated streak and UFC Middleweight Championship were surprisingly ended at UFC 328 on May 9th, when he was outpointed by underdog Sean Strickland in Newark. The Chechen fighter had dominated Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis to claim the middleweight title. However, a challenging weight cut of over 40 pounds, combined with Strickland’s strong takedown defense, led to the end of Chimaev’s reign as champion in his first title defense.
Online betting sites heavily favored Chimaev before the fight. Bovada listed him as a -500 favorite, with Strickland as a +410 underdog. Despite surviving Chimaev’s early pressure, Strickland took control, winning rounds two and three, and securing a narrow split decision victory by winning the fifth round on two judges’ scorecards.
Chimaev’s Impending Move to Light Heavyweight
Following the upset, UFC president Dana White announced that Chimaev expressed a desire to move up to light heavyweight, citing the difficulty of his weight cuts. This is a significant shift, considering Chimaev was a welterweight just four years ago.
Despite the announcement, Chimaev’s social media activity suggests he might not be done with middleweight. He has publicly challenged Strickland to a rematch, indicating it’s still a possibility. However, assuming White’s statement is accurate, who would be an ideal first opponent for Chimaev in the light heavyweight division? Here are three potential options:
Carlos Ulberg
Recent precedents in the UFC show fighters receiving immediate title shots upon moving up in weight after vacating their previous belts. Ilia Topuria moved from featherweight to lightweight, Islam Makhachev from lightweight to welterweight, and Alex Pereira is set to fight for an interim heavyweight title after vacating his light heavyweight championship. Could Chimaev receive similar treatment?
Carlos Ulberg is the current light heavyweight champion, having impressively knocked out Jiří Procházka in the first round despite an early injury. If Chimaev is granted an immediate title shot in his new division, Ulberg would likely be his first opponent.
A significant caveat to this scenario is that Topuria, Makhachev, and Pereira were all champions when they moved up. Chimaev, having lost his middleweight title, may not receive the same preferential treatment.
Jiří Procházka
Rumors suggest that Chimaev’s challenging weight cut for the Strickland fight was due to preparations for a light heavyweight debut against Jiří Procházka. The plan was reportedly to bulk up for 205 pounds, but the UFC shifted to a middleweight title defense against Strickland at the last minute. Could this fight against Procházka now materialize?
A fight against Procházka would be a strong debut for Chimaev. The Czech fighter is currently ranked third in the division and is coming off a title loss to Ulberg. A victory over Procházka would likely position Chimaev as the number one contender. Procházka has lost his last three title challenges and has become a gatekeeper in the division. He appears to be a tailor-made opponent for Chimaev, who could potentially secure a dominant wrestling victory.
Paulo Costa
If Chimaev aims for a slightly less challenging introduction to the division, Paulo Costa, ranked seventh, could be an option. The outspoken Brazilian has frequently expressed his desire to fight and “hurt” Chimaev, and this opportunity might arise.
Costa recently made an impressive debut at light heavyweight, knocking out Azamat Murzakanov and climbing to seventh in the rankings. A bout between him and Chimaev would undoubtedly generate significant attention, with the winner likely to push for a title shot.
English Translation:
Khamzat Chimaev shockingly lost his undefeated record and his UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 328 on May 9th when he was outpointed by brash American underdog Sean Strickland in Newark. The Chechen-born sensation had been on a tear throughout his stint at 185 pounds, dominating both Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis to claim the title. However, a brutal 40-plus-pound weight cut coupled with Strickland’s incredibly underrated takedown defense would spell the end of Borz’s reign as champion in his first title defense.
Online betting sites couldn’t see anything other than a Chimaev victory on fight night. The Bovada UFC betting odds when the two men made their way to the cage listed the champion as the clear -500 favorite, with the challenger a mighty +410 underdog. But after surviving the first round onslaught, Strickland would take charge of the fight, winning rounds two and three before edging the fifth on two judges’ scorecards to secure a razor-thin split decision victory.
Chimaev’s Impending Move to Light Heavyweight
In the immediate aftermath of the shocking upset, UFC head honcho Dana White said in his press conference that Chimaev had informed him he no longer wanted to compete at middleweight and would be moving up to light heavyweight, with that life-sapping weight cut clearly the reason. It’s scarcely believable that four years ago, Khamzat was campaigning at welterweight and 170 pounds. Fast forward to now, and he could well be set to move up to 205.
If his X — formerly known as Twitter — posts are anything to go by, Chimaev may not yet be done with middleweight. He has tagged Strickland in a post since losing his championship, saying, “let me know when you are ready.” That suggests an immediate rematch isn’t out of the question. But presuming what White said to the press post UFC 328 is true, who would be an ideal opponent for Chimaev in his light heavyweight debut? Here are three possible routes that the UFC could take.
Carlos Ulberg
When Ilia Topuria vacated his featherweight championship to move up to lightweight in 2025, he was awarded an immediate title shot. The same was the case for 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev, who also vacated his strap and was rewarded with an instant crack at the welterweight gold. Alex Pereira will soon receive a shot at the interim heavyweight title after vacating his light heavyweight championship. Would it be the wildest proposition for Chimaev to be afforded the same treatment?
Carlos Ulberg is the newly minted light heavyweight champion. He viciously knocked out Jiří Procházka in the first round of the pair’s clash for the vacant 205-pound title, and he did so on one leg after suffering an injury in the opening seconds of the contest. If Chimaev is to be given an immediate title shot in his move up in weight, then the Kiwi champion is most likely to be his first opponent in the division.
Of course, there is a huge asterisk next to this theory. Each of Topuria, Makhachev, and Pereira were the champions of their respective divisions when they vacated their belts and moved up to a heavier division. Chimaev, of course, is no longer the middleweight king after being dethroned by Strickland, and as such, the UFC may be unwilling to afford Borz the same treatment as those three superstars.
Jiří Procházka
If the rumor mill is to be believed, the reason Chimaev had such a monstrous weight cut ahead of the Strickland fight was that he was already preparing for a light heavyweight debut against Jiří Procházka. He had bulked up in a bid to move to 205, and the UFC changed plans at the last minute and pivoted to a Chimaev defense against Strickland. Now, could that fight against Procházka finally come to fruition?
The Czech sensation would certainly be a solid light heavyweight debut for Chimaev. Currently ranked at number three in the division and fresh off a title defeat to the champion Ulberg, victory over Procházka would likely secure Borz a spot as number one contender to the title. “Denisa” has lost each of his last three title challenges, twice to Alex Pereira and now again to Ulberg, and he has very much become somewhat of a gatekeeper in the division.
He looks to be a tailor-made opponent for the Chechen, who would likely wrestle his way to a dominant victory. Should an immediate title shot not be in the offing, Procházka looks to be the perfect opponent.
Paulo Costa
Should Chimaev be looking for somewhat of a lower-ranked opponent, then number seven-ranked Paulo Costa could well be an option. The loudmouth Brazilian has repeatedly taken shots at Chimaev in the media, repeatedly saying how he wants to “hurt” the Chechen, and he could well get his chance.
Costa recently knocked out Azamat Murzakanov in his light heavyweight debut, an impressive win that catapulted him to number seven in the world. A clash between him and Chimaev would certainly garner the headlines, and the winner would likely then campaign for a title shot.