Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev established himself as a formidable force in combat sports, achieving three Swedish freestyle national championships in wrestling across different weight categories, securing gold medals in 86 kg in both 2015 and 2016, and in 92 kg in 2018. Following an undefeated 3-0 amateur MMA career between September 2017 and April 2018, Chimaev transitioned to professional MMA in May 2018. His early professional career with International Ring Fight Arena and Brave Combat Federation quickly saw him build an unblemished record, highlighted by a Knockout of the Night performance against Ikram Aliskerov in 2019. Chimaev signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), making his highly anticipated debut in July 2020.

In October 2024, Chimaev defeated former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker via submission at UFC 308, adding another Performance of the Night award to his collection. A career-defining moment occurred on August 16, 2025, when Chimaev defeated Dricus du Plessis by unanimous decision at UFC 319 to claim the UFC Middleweight Championship, a win that also garnered him a Performance of the Night bonus. This championship victory marked a historic milestone, positioning Chimaev as the first athlete to represent the United Arab Emirates to win a UFC title, and the first fighter of Chechen heritage to achieve a UFC championship. He holds notable UFC records including most total strikes landed and most total ground strikes landed in a single UFC fight, showcasing his dominant and well-rounded skill set within the octagon.