It’s been quite some time since an unranked fighter enjoyed as much hype as Khamzat Chimaev is right now.
The Swede’s UFC career is barely three months – and three fights – old, and yet he has already caught the eye and the ire of the middleweight champion. However, the signs were already there because during his time training in Stockholm, Alexander Gustafsson – a UFC Hall of Famer after his famous 2013 battle with Jon Jones – remarked that ‘I’ve never trained with such a skilled guy before.’
Anytime. Anywhere. Anyone.
?? @KChimaev is here to smash his way to the top. #UFCVegas11 pic.twitter.com/lvMAk97oaO
— UFC (@ufc) September 18, 2020
There’s winning MMA fights and then there’s demolishing your opponents, and it’s the latter path that Chimaev has taken so far. After racking up a perfect 6-0 record in organizations in his adopted homeland and the Middle East, the 26-year-old made his UFC debut in July on the undercard of Calvin Kattar and Dan Ige’s featherweight clash. A low-key beginning maybe, but his two-round demolition of John White – finished off with a perfect brabo choke, which earned him Performance of the Night honors – was anything but.
Just ten days (!) later, Chimaev accepted a bout with Rhys McKee at welterweight – comfortably making the weight limit despite his 6ft 2lb frame. Opening the show of UFC Fight Island III, he soon gained the upper hand on the debutant and soon forced the referee to step in after three minutes of the opening. Again, Chimaev earned the Performance of the Night accolade and broke a franchise record for the shortest gap between victories.
His third fight was a notable step up in grade against the experienced Gerald Meerschaert, and the outright winner markets in the MMA betting were more balanced this time around as fans of the sport got a glimpse of the new star against a man with 44 fights to his name. Of course, there are plenty of different MMA betting markets available at the sportsbooks, and you wonder how many savvy punters backed the first round KO win for Chimaev because that’s exactly what went down as the Swede knocked out Meerschaert in just 17 seconds.
Three fights, three wins, three Performance of the Night awards and two records, as the 25-year-old added the ‘quickest three fight win streak’ title to his burgeoning collection.
So where did it all begin for Chimaev…and where does he go from here?
From Humble Beginnings
The young Chimaev was born in Chechnya, a slice of land that has been fiercely fought over through the years and which is currently ‘ruled’ by Russia. There is a fine tradition of wrestling in the country, and that is where Khamzat cut his teeth – he had his first training session at the age of five and was winning medals at the Russian National Championships barely into his teens.
Seeking a more settled life, Chimaev emigrated to Sweden in 2011, and he continued his thriving wrestling career in Scandinavia – winning the gold medal at the Swedish National Championships. Indeed, such was his class that he decided to wrestle at light heavyweight, which was around 20lbs higher than his natural weight at the time!
He soon made the switch to MMA. Chimaev’s first two fights were comfortable victories in Sweden, and he turned pro in the Middle East, signing a deal with the Brave Combat Federation. Four fights, four wins, three first round victories coming by way of KO – you kinda get the gist of how ‘KhaBig’ goes about his business by now.
A chance to fight for the Brave welterweight title fell by the wayside due to Covid-19, and instead Chimaev decided to sign for the UFC…the rest, as they say, is history.
Will Israel Adesanya’s reign as middleweight champion be history should he ever climb into the Octagon with Chimaev? The trash talk has already begun between the pair, with the Champ calling the Swede ‘the rat lip’ and claiming never to have heard of him before. Chimaev responded in rather more ominous fashion via social media:
@stylebender what do you said about me it will cost you your belt if you’re still the champion Good luck
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) September 23, 2020
The journey to the top of the MMA food chain can be a slow and torturous affair for some, but for now Khamzat Chimaev has made it look an absolute breeze. So just how far can he climb in the UFC?