Is Khamzat Chimaev still a future UFC champion? Exploring the possibilities

At one point in time, Khamzat Chimaev was regarded as a fighter unlike any other. On his UFC debut, 'Borz' carried the mystique of both an undefeated record and a 100% finishing rate into the octagon. He took on John Phillips, then a veteran of 33 fights, in a middleweight bout.

The matchup determined whether Chimaev belonged, and it far exceeded expectations, as he submitted Phillips within two rounds. He then stunned the MMA world by making one of the quickest turnarounds in UFC history, running through Rhys McKee in his sophomore UFC bout just 10 days afterward.

Before long, he had annihilated two more foes, finishing them both in round one. Many began to hail him as a special talent destined for championship glory. However, over two years later and three fights more, that proclamation is now in doubt.

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Khamzat Chimaev's journey from unstoppable force to mortal man

Before UFC 273, there was an air of uniqueness to Khamzat Chimaev. Not only was the Chechen star unbeaten, but he had finished every foe he had faced with supreme ease. His 17-second knockout over middleweight standout Gerald Meerschaert had left the commentary team stunned by his nuclear power.

Meanwhile, his subsequent performance against Li Jingliang saw him drag 'The Leech' into a rear body lock and hoist him in the air. Worse still, he carried Li across the octagon as though the 6-foot-tall 35-year-old were a toddler, dumping him on the mat in front of UFC CEO Dana White before the trash talk ensued.

He promised to conquer the welterweight division and subsequently ended Li's night by choking him unconscious with a rear-naked choke. White was elated, and the MMA world was certain that it had just witnessed the arrival of a generational talent. Up to that point, hardly anyone in the UFC had even touched him.

Clearly, he was too good and too physical for those in the middle of the park at either welterweight or middleweight. His next bout would be a true litmus test of his standing on the roster. At UFC 273, 'Borz' faced former title challenger and the then #2 ranked welterweight, Gilbert Burns.

Ahead of the fight, Chimaev was extremely confident. In retrospect, he had underestimated Burns. When both men finally crossed swords inside the octagon, the first round transpired as predicted. Chimaev scored takedowns and even knocked Burns down toward the end of the round.

But as the fight progressed, Chimaev abandoned all semblance of strategy and welcomed a wild brawl that left both men battered and bruised. Furthermore, his cardio, which had been previously praised by his training partners, failed miserably as the Chechen tired within three rounds.

Check out Gilbert Burns rocking Khamzat Chimaev:

In the end, he won via split decision, but many decried the outcome as a robbery. 'Borz' remained unbeaten, but he looked human in victory and had lost his 100% finishing rate. With his aura of invincibility shattered, Chimaev was in desperate need of a lay-up, a winnable matchup.

That came in the form of Nate Diaz, whose age, wear and tear, and historical weakness to strong wrestlers made him the perfect foe for a showcase. The two were scheduled to headline UFC 279, but a disastrous weight cut saw Chimaev turn up seven and a half pounds over the welterweight limit.

In response, Diaz declined to face him and the UFC scrambled to find 'Borz' an opponent. Fortunately, Kevin Holland emerged as a willing replacement, given their then-budding feud. Thus, Chimaev was demoted to the co-main event slot and took on Holland at a catchweight of 180 pounds.

In vintage fashion, the Chechen phenom stormed through Holland within a round, submitting him after a scrambling sequence on the mat. Yet, he had done himself no favors. Holland wasn't and isn't regarded as an elite fighter. Instead, he is a perennial top 15 talent, the best of the rest.

Check out Khamzat Chimaev submitting Kevin Holland:

And the last time Chimaev had faced the best of the best, he barely scraped by, with many declaring his victory unearned.

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Khamzat Chimaev's middleweight saga

Dana White was, understandably, furious over Khamzat Chimaev's failure on the scale. UFC 297 was designed as a showcase event for him, with a favorable style matchup no less. A win over Diaz would have likely propelled him into title contention. Alas, the championship bout with Kamaru Usman was no more.

Chimaev had gone from leaving White smiling in astonishment to fuming in indignation. He was booted from the welterweight division and forced into a permanent run at middleweight. Yet, Chimaev, who had once made one of the quickest turnarounds in UFC history, took an entire to reenter the octagon.

Instead, he spent his time developing a close friendship with UFC washout Darren Till and issuing undeserved title challenges to every champion from welterweight to middleweight. Be it Leon Edwards, Israel Adesanya, or Alex Pereira, 'Borz' was quick to take to social media every time a title changed hands.

Before long, he had earned the fans' frustration over his inactivity and incessant claim that the aforementioned champions were avoiding him out of fear. Still, however, some held out hope, explaining away his concerning performance against Gilbert Burns as a mere strategic lapse.

He was still the future UFC champion everyone had prematurely crowned him. To prove it, he accepted a bout with former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa. Both men had been embroiled in a feud, nearly coming to blows at the UFC Performance Institute due to the Brazilian referring to him as a 'Gourmet Chechen.'

They were set to settle their differences at UFC 294. Unfortunately, Costa was forced to withdraw due to surgery and was replaced by Usman. While it sparked curiosity in some fans, many remained cognizant of the fact that Usman was a welterweight stepping in on very short notice for a 185-pound bout.

Backed by a pronounced size advantage and the fitness that comes with a full training camp, Chimaev was expected to win in dominant fashion. When both men locked horns, it seemed as though he would, as he completely outwrestled 'The Nigerian Nightmare' for all of round one.

However, as it had in the Gilbert Burns fight, the unbeaten Chechen's gas tank began to fail him in round two. Usman soon took over and looked the far fresher fighter by the end, outstriking his foe in a competitive effort that left many convinced he had done enough to hand Chimaev his first-ever loss.

Check out highlights of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman:

Instead, Chimaev was once again declared the victor in a controversial fashion, with many branding the result a robbery. Even more deflating for Chimaev was that the bout was initially booked as a title eliminator. However, his underwhelming performance convinced White to shift his plans.

It was now the second time that Chimaev had struggled mightily against a high-level fighter, such that fans were convinced he had lost. Furthermore, it was his second failure to finish a top five foe. Against the roster's bottom feeders, he looked unstoppable, but whenever he faced a high-level foe, he barely survived.

In addition, his cardio was, again, disappointing. The narrative hardly took long to catch on; Chimaev was a one-round fighter with a shallow gas tank and clear ceiling. Afterward, he claimed his performance was due to a broken hand and an illness he had contracted prior.

Given his past issues with COVID, it led some to wonder if 'Borz' was susceptible to health-related dilemmas. Yet, he still called for his promised title shot. But with no wins over anyone ranked in the middleweight top 10 and underwhelming performances every time he fights anyone high-level, does he even deserve one?

More than that, he no longer resembles the world-beater he was initially thought to be. He remains a notable name and skilled fighter, but a far cry from the second coming of Khabib Nurmagomedov.