With his presiding win to clinch middleweight gold at UFC 319, there’s a sizeable case to make to see Khamzat Chimaev top the promotion’s pound-for-pound pile.
Recording career win number fifteen over the weekend, unbeaten megastar Khamzat Chimaev finally broke through in the first title fight of his roughshod run in the Octagon.
And inflicting the first loss of defending kingpin Dricus du Plessis‘ esteemed stint in the promotion, Chimaev rode out a dominant — near record-breaking victory over the South African to clinch the championship.
Likely to move quite significantly in the promotion’s pound-for-pound rankings off the back of his win, Chimaev likely won’t get the recognition in that list that I believe he makes a strong case to warrant, however.
Khamzat Chimaev’s claim to pound-for-pound number one status
In the simplest of ways, pound-for-pound rankings across combat sports are in place to determine who is likely the best fighter when compared with their counterparts — if they conceivably weighed the same — irrespective of classes.
Currently, Ilia Topuria lays claim to the number one spot in the UFC’s rankings, gazumping rival Islam Makahchev with his emphatic knockout of Charles Oliveira earlier this summer.
And striking his second Octagon belt with the victory, Spanish force Topuria won lightweight gold, having stopped the who’s who at featherweight to land the belt, too.
But if we’re taking the definition of the pound-for-pound rankings system at face value, then surely Chimaev has as big a claim to the top spot as any.
Notably, the Chechen has travelled up and down the division during his young five-year stay in the UFC, emerging victorious each time.
Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance through two divisions
Initially debuting at middleweight, Chimaev has infamously struggled with a cut to welterweight in the past, limiting his activity in the division.
And ultimately forced to compete at middleweight exclusively, Chimaev really did not look out of place at 170lbs, however. Quite the contrary, in fact.
Putting on a back-and-forth barnburner against Gilbert Burns in a standout win at welterweight, Chimaev also made light work of Li Jingliang in the same division.
Sure, he fought at catchweight in his quickfire submission win over Kevin Holland, but Chimaev has really cemented himself at middleweight to add to his accolades at welterweight.
Albeit for his narrow decision win over former pound-for-pound best Kamaru Usman, Chimaev looks primed at middleweight — evident with his demolition job on another former champion in the form of Robert Whittaker.
And it’s this recent run of wins up and down division which gives Chimaev a decent case to top that elusive mark in the UFC.
How does Khamzat Chimaev fare at middleweight in the future?
With contenders likely coming thick and fast for Chimaev at the weight class, an important clash at his weight class is on deck next month.
To boot, the winner of said pairing between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho will likely emerge as the next challenger to the middleweight crown — now held by the Chechnya star.
But if he’s overlooked for the pound-for-pound summit in the new rankings update, Chimaev will do himself big favors with a win over either Imavov or Borralho. Particularly if he can turn in a similarly one-sided shutout against them, akin to his win over du Plessis.
Khamzat Chimaev laid out a direct path to pound-for-pound perch
More than happy to compete at both middleweight and welterweight, as we’ve seen in the past, Chimaev himself laid out his own idea as to how he can guarantee his status as the best fighter in the UFC hands down.
As far as he’s concerned, if former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev prevails in his mooted fight with Jack Della Maddalena later this year, he would ideally return to 170lbs to face the Russian.
If he were to prevail too, Chimaev — and many others would likely see the UFC in a position to place him at the peak of the pound-for-pound list.
“We will see who will be the champion there [at welterweight],” Chimaev told MMA Junkie recently.
“I don’t know. It’s the fastest way [fighting Islam Makhachev] to get the pound-for-pound number 1.”
Khamzat Chimaev stake at this very moment
I can agree with those who suggest Chimaev should very likely usurp current pacesetter Topuria already. I really can.
His five-fight stretch of recent has seen him topple some really big Octagon stars, furthermore, in rather slanted fashion, too.
Whether the UFC or its ranking panel agree is another story, but there is a world where Chimaev makes quite the airtight case for the top spot. And conceivably, it comes after his watershed moment against du Plessis.
