Goodbye, 185?
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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev is just days away from his first-ever title defense against bitter rival Sean Strickland in the UFC 328 main event this weekend (Sat., May 9, 2026) inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
But if things go according to plan, Chimaev may not stick around the division much longer.
In an era where champions increasingly chase double-champ status and money fights, “Borz” says he’s already thinking about bigger opportunities beyond Middleweight — and maybe more pizza, too.
“I hope so,” Chimaev told reporters when asked if UFC 328 could be his final fight at 185 pounds. “I like to eat pizza. We will see.”
Chimaev has repeatedly floated the idea of moving to Light Heavyweight to fight former championAlex Pereira, and he reiterated that interest this week. If Pereira loses to Ciryl Gane at UFC White House next month, Chimaev expects “Poatan” to move back down to 205 pounds — setting up a blockbuster showdown.
“I just want big fights,” Chimaev said. “Alex Pereira, if he gonna lose to Ciryl Gane, he gonna come back down [to Light Heavyweight]. He’s big fight too, big name. If not, I’m gonna go to Heavyweight. I need big names, big money.”
With newly crowned Light Heavyweight champion Carlos Ulbergsidelined due to a torn ACL, the division is currently wide open — potentially making Chimaev’s jump even easier.
The undefeated champion also made it clear he has little interest in running laps around the Middleweight rankings.
“I don’t think [there are big things at Middleweight],” Chimaev explained. “Even Sean is not a big thing for me because the guy I beat before him for all five rounds — Dricus du Plessisbeat him twice. If I stay here, I beat Sean, and then I beat Nassourdine Imavov — Imavov got beat by Sean — what’s the point? Are we just going around in circles playing Russian Roulette?”
Still, before any move happens, Chimaev has to get through Strickland on Saturday night.
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