Khamzat Chimaev Bio
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev is a Russian-Emirati professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler. He competes in the Middleweight division of the UFC, where he is the current UFC Middleweight Champion. Known for his dominant wrestling and grappling skills, Chimaev has amassed an undefeated professional MMA record and is highly ranked among UFC pound-for-pound fighters.
Early Life and Background
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev was born on 1 May 1994 in Gvardeyskoye, Chechen Republic, Russia to a poor and conservative Muslim Chechen family. He started wrestling at the age of five in the village of Gvardeyskoye and has reportedly won a bronze medal at the Russian National Championships at the junior level. In 2013, when he was 18, he emigrated to Sweden with his mother, joining his older brother who was already living there.
Path to MMA
After moving to Sweden, Chimaev continued to develop his wrestling skills, competing at multiple clubs including BK Athén. He won gold medals at the 2016 and 2017 Swedish Freestyle National Championships at 86 kilograms, and in 2018 he did so at 92 kilograms. Chimaev started training in MMA when he was 23 years old, inspired after watching a UFC fight while working at a poultry factory in Kalmar, Sweden. He trained at Allstars Training Center in Stockholm alongside notable fighters like Alexander Gustafsson and Ilir Latifi.
Khamzat Chimaev Career
Early Career (2018-2020)
Chimaev turned professional on 26 May 2018, winning his debut via technical knockout in the second round against Gard Olve Sagen. He continued his impressive start with victories over Ole Magnor, Marko Kisič, and Sidney Wheeler, showcasing his dominant wrestling and finishing ability. After building a 4-0 record on the regional circuit, Chimaev made his promotional debut for the UFC on 16 July 2020 against John Phillips, securing a submission victory in the second round and earning his first Performance of the Night bonus.
UFC Breakthrough (2020-2022)
Following his UFC debut, Chimaev made history by defeating Rhys McKee just ten days later, earning another Performance of the Night bonus. In September 2020, he set a new UFC record by knocking out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds, marking the fastest three-fight winning streak in modern UFC history (66 days) while earning his third consecutive Performance of the Night bonus. After a scheduled bout against Leon Edwards was cancelled due to COVID-19 complications in 2020, Chimaev returned in 2021 to face Li Jingliang, submitting him via rear-naked choke in the first round to earn his fourth Performance of the Night bonus. In 2022, Chimaev faced Gilbert Burns at UFC 273, winning via unanimous decision in a bout that was awarded Fight of the Night honors.
Champion Era (2023-Present)
After a one-year layoff, Chimaev returned to middleweight in 2023 at UFC 294, defeating former champion Kamaru Usman via majority decision. In 2024, Chimaev defeated Robert Whittaker via a face-crank submission in the first round, earning another Performance of the Night award. On 16 August 2025 at UFC 319, Chimaev faced Dricus du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Championship and won via unanimous decision to become the UFC Middleweight Champion, earning his sixth Performance of the Night bonus in the process.
Driving Style and Strengths
Chimaev often utilizes his freestyle wrestling background to take opponents down, employing heavy ground-and-pound and submission attempts once in top control. His grappling is frequently compared to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s due to similar techniques like the handcuff lock and leg hooking. In addition to his grappling, Chimaev possesses knockout power from his orthodox stance, mixing basic boxing with kicks and using his wrestling to set up strikes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Chimaev has set multiple UFC records including the fastest consecutive wins in modern UFC history (ten days) and the fastest three-fight winning streak (66 days). He has defeated former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker, and became the first athlete representing the United Arab Emirates to win a UFC title when he captured the Middleweight Championship in 2025.
Khamzat Chimaev Career Wins
Throughout his professional MMA career, Khamzat Chimaev has maintained a perfect 15-0 record with 6 wins by knockout, 6 wins by submission, and 3 wins by decision across the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions.
UFC Highlights
Chimaev has accumulated 10 UFC victories, including notable wins over former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker. His UFC debut victory over John Phillips in July 2020 earned him his first Performance of the Night bonus. In September 2020, he made history by knocking out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds. Chimaev’s unanimous decision victory over Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 was awarded Fight of the Night honors. His most significant achievement came in August 2025 when he defeated Dricus du Plessis to become the UFC Middleweight Champion.
Other Wins & Performances
Prior to joining the UFC, Chimaev amassed a 4-0 record in regional competitions. He defeated Sidney Wheeler in just 35 seconds and knocked out former combat sambo World Champion Ikram Aliskerov. In amateur MMA, Chimaev finished with a perfect 3-0 record with one win by knockout and two by submission.
Khamzat Chimaev Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Khamzat has an older brother named Artur who also competes in freestyle wrestling. In May 2022, Chimaev married his wife in Chechnya, a wedding that was attended by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The couple has no children according to available records.
Personal Life
Chimaev carries a notable scar on his lip from an injury at age two when he fell down concrete stairs. Before competing professionally, he worked at a poultry factory in Kalmar, Sweden and also did security work. Chimaev contracted COVID-19 in December 2020 and suffered lingering symptoms that required hospitalization and canceled fights. In 2023, he moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and received Emirati citizenship in January 2025, becoming the first athlete representing the UAE to win a UFC title.
2025 Season Performance
2025 proved to be a landmark year for Khamzat Chimaev as he captured the UFC Middleweight Championship. After his impressive victory over Robert Whittaker in October 2024, Chimaev faced Dricus du Plessis for the title at UFC 319 on 16 August 2025. He dominated the championship bout and won via unanimous decision to become the UFC Middleweight Champion, earning his sixth Performance of the Night bonus in the process. This victory solidified Chimaev’s position as one of the top fighters in the sport and marked his crowning achievement after years of dominance in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions.