Chimaev is the UFC middleweight champion. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
It appears that Khamzat Chimaev already has his first challenger for the middleweight title (up to 83,9 kg) lined up in the UFC. After defeating Caio Borralho in the main event of UFC Paris , Nassourdine Imavov has established himself as the frontrunner to face 'The Wolf' for the belt. According to the Frenchman, talks with the organization are already well advanced.
In a post on X, Imavov revealed that he informed the UFC that his focus is exclusively on fighting for a title and that he is willing to wait as long as necessary for that. The Frenchman reinforced that he does not intend to accept deviations from the plan and that great goals require adequate preparation, also guaranteeing that he will be ready when the opportunity is made official.
“I had a good conversation with the UFC and told them: only title fights! If we have to wait, we will wait. No distractions, no detours. Great achievements require great preparation. Make no mistake, I will be ready!”, wrote Imavov.
Had a good conversation with UFC, I told them, Title shot only! If we have to wait, we'll wait. No distractions, no detours, Great things require great preparation. Make no mistake, I'll be ready!
— Imavov Nassourdine (@imavov1) November 27, 2025
Who will be Khamzat Chimaev's next opponent in the UFC?
Chimaev faces his opponent before the UFC fight. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
After defeating Dricus Du Plessis and winning the belt, Khamzat Chimaev found the middleweight division teeming with potential challengers. However, three months after his victory, the list of title contenders had shrunk considerably.
One of the fights that could have determined the next challenger took place at UFC Paris , when Nassourdine Imavov defeated Caio Borralho by unanimous decision and took the number 1 spot in the division.
Another fight that had the potential to determine Chimaev's opponent would have been the bout between Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez , scheduled for UFC Vancouver on October 18. However, due to "Fluffy's" injury, the Dutchman ended up facing Brendan Allen and, after four intense rounds, it was the American who won by technical knockout.
In addition to the names in the middleweight division, there is also the possibility of Chimaev moving up a weight class and facing Alex Poatan for the light heavyweight title (up to 93 kg).
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