Khamzat Chimaev betting favorite to hold UFC middleweight championship by the end of 2024
Despite his impending sidelining through a hand injury, unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev is the current betting favorite to be strapped with divisional gold at the end of next year, coming in as a favorite over incumbent titleholder, Sean Strickland, and former champion, Israel Adesanya.
Chimaev, the current number eight ranked middleweight contender, most recently co-headlined UFC 294 back in October of this year in Abu Dhabi, landing a close, majority decision win over former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman in his return to the weight class.
The victory came as Khamzat Chimaev’s first since September of last year, landing a dominant opening round D’Arce choke submission win over Kevin Holland, after missing weight for a planned welterweight main event against Nate Diaz by a staggering seven and a half pounds.
And despite missing out on the next middleweight title fight to the surging South African talent, Dricus du Plessis – who challenges Strickland at UFC 297 at the turn of the year, Khamzat Chimaev is the current betting favorite to hold the title by the end of 2024 – with odds of just +100 available currently.
Khamzat Chimaev is betting favorite to hold middleweight gold at end of 2024
Many betting sites and markets are offering punters and bettors the opportunity to bet on future championship winners odds – including the newest betting sites, who also offer outright fight winning odds, as well as numerous prop bets.
Khamzat Chimaev, who boasts an impressive 13-0 professional record, who is currently planning a comeback fight at UFC 300 in April of next year, confirmed earlier this week how he will not manage to avoid a surgical procedure, in order to address a ligament tear in his hand, sidelining him until next year.
And involved in the above-mentioned January title fight at UFC 297, Strickland, the current champion is as high as +400 to hold the title by the end of the year, while incoming challenger, du Plessis is available at +700.
Conceivable fourth betting favorite to hold the title by the end of next December, Ikram Aliskerov, a former foe of Khamzat Chimaev – who holds the sole victory over the Russian, is sitting as high as +700, having landed knockout wins over both Phil Hawes, and recently, Warlley Alves two fights deep into his Octagon tenure.
As for former two-time champion, Adesanya, the City Kickboxing standout is the current five betting favorite to hold the title at the end of 2024, holding odds as high as +1,000 to do such – ahead of former foes and prior champions, Robert Whittaker (+2,000) or Brazilian phenom, Alex Pereira (+4,000) – who has since struck gold a division higher.
An interesting note to potentially hold middleweight gold by the end of next year is former welterweight title challenger and prior WEC and Strikeforce champion, Nick Diaz – with the Stockton favorite the joint least likely to hold the title at the end of 2024 at whopping +50,000 odds to do so, amongst 13 others, including former champion, Chris Weidman.
Linked with a continued stay at middleweight beyond his divisional leap two months ago, former pound-for-pound best, Kamaru Usman can be backed as high as +10,000 to achieve such a feat.
