Khamzat Chimaev (15-1) says he will take a break from fighting to address multiple injuries if he isn’t booked for a fight by the end of the year.
The 32-year-old has not fought in the UFC since suffering the first defeat of his UFC career, losing a split decision to Sean Strickland on May 9 in his first UFC middleweight championship defense. He had previously beaten Kamaru Usman in 2023, Robert Whittaker in 2024, and then-middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis in 2025.
“If nothing happens in October or December, I think I’ll take a little break,” he said. “I have a lot of injuries that I need to get treated. I’ve been putting off my surgeries, putting them off, putting them off, and I go into every fight with some kind of problem.”
Chimaev said he’s had seven procedures under anesthesia, six surgeries, and is missing half his thyroid gland.
Chimaev was targeting an immediate rematch vs Strickland, however Strickland is rumored to be making a title defense against Nassourdine Imavov on December 12. Khamzat also stated he was ready to face other top middleweights such as Dricus Du Plessis and Caio Borralho, however he was informed they were both injured, leaving him with limited options, so he has suggested he could serve as the backup for the rumored Strickland vs Imavov fight should either fighter withdraw.