Khamzat Chimaev Drops Shock Explanation For Avoiding Nassourdine Imavov Title Fight: “There Will Be A Lot Of Drama”
Khamzat Chimaev isn’t fully on board with defending his UFC middleweight title against top contender Nassourdine Imavov. Borz” captured the 185-pound belt with a dominant unanimous-decision win over former champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 this past August.
However, attention quickly shifted to the question of which contender would get the first shot at Chimaev, with the division packed with legitimate challengers. As Brendan Allen halted Reinier de Ridder’s four-fight surge with a fourth-round TKO at UFC Vancouver in October, Imavov strengthened his case with a unanimous decision win over Caio Borralho at UFC Paris in September, while former titleholder Sean Strickland is set to face Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston in February 2026.
Many argue that “The Sniper” has earned a crack at the middleweight crown, given his previous win over Allen and his knockout of former champion Israel Adesanya. But Khamzat Chimaev, who now seems more inclined to move up and challenge reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, isn’t eager to go that route and has his own reservations about defending his title against Imavov.
Khamzat Chimaev Explains Why He’s Reluctant To Face Nassourdine Imavov Despite Clear Contender Status
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA, Khamzat Chimaev opened up about his plans for 2026, making it clear he’s far more interested in a blockbuster showdown with Alex Pereira than a title defense against Nassourdine Imavov. “Borz” pointed to their shared Dagestani-rooted connection and personal ties as the key reason he’s reluctant to take that matchup.
“He’s a good guy,” Khamzat Chimaev said. “I know him, he knows me, we know each other. If you ask me, I don’t want to fight this guy, because we know each other. Like [as] a Muslim, he’s from Dagestan… You know how Dagestan and Chechen people are like, it’s a little bit like there’s a lot of drama on the internet, [things] I don’t like about it.”
However, the undefeated middleweight champion also made it clear that if the UFC pushes for the fight with “The Sniper,” he won’t turn it down.
“But if the UFC wants it, bro, I’m never gonna say ‘no’. If the guy wants it… I tell his manager as well: ‘Brother, if Nassourdine wants, I’m gonna be open.’ If he says he can wait until I move up, I would be [grateful]… [If not,] I’m not gonna say ‘no’. I wanna fight this guy. For me, it doesn’t matter.”
Imavov is riding a six-fight unbeaten streak and holds a UFC record of 9–2 with one no-contest. “The Sniper” hasn’t tasted defeat since dropping a unanimous decision to Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 67 in January 2023.
