Khamzat Chimaev talks about his toughest opponent

Khamzat Chimaev, one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC middleweight division, continues his impressive career with full force, and every time he steps into the octagon, he attracts a lot of attention. His undefeated streak is still going strong, and the moments from his fights have become a real spectacle for all MMA fans. Although he has managed to defeat all his opponents so far, one fighter has managed to provide Chimaev with the greatest challenge.

The Chechen fighter, who currently competes with citizenship from the United Arab Emirates, recorded another fantastic success in his last appearance. At the UFC 308 event held in October, Chimaev emerged victorious against former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. 

The fight ended in the first round, when Whittaker was forced to submit due to a brutal “face crank”. The victory continued his incredible professional record, which now stands at 14-0, and the fighter from Chechnya left the ring without a single injury. 

However, Whittaker wasn't the only former UFC champion Chimaev had to overcome on his way to the top.

The most difficult challenge in his career

Chimaev is a 30-year-old fighter who has built a reputation as a versatile and extremely dominant competitor. He won six victories by knockout and the same number of forced submissions, and only two victories came by referee's decisions. The first was a unanimous decision against Gilbert Burns in 2022 at UFC 273, while the second was a majority decision against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 in 2023. 

Although both fights were demanding, the toughest opponent, according to Chimaev, was Kamaru Usman.

Speaking to the YouTube channel Azamat Chef, Chimaev spoke openly about the fight: "The toughest opponent in my career? I would say Kamaru Usman. He defended very well against my wrestling, his wrestling is really at a high level. He defended well against my grappling and didn't give me a chance to take his neck for a choke. I was trying to choke him for a full five minutes, but his defense was extremely strong."