Khamzat Chimaev may be a mauling brute inside the cage, but that’s not always the case outside.
During a recent visit to his home of Chechnya, Chimaev took the time to speak on stage and meet some fans and orphaned children in the area. One particular 10-year-old girl asked “Borz” what his childhood dream was, leading to the top-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender to invite her on stage. The young fan was overwhelmed with emotion after thanking Chimaev for being a great role model. He hugged her and exchanged some words before tearing up himself. The full video can be seen in the embedded player above.
“I started crying of joy after meeting him in person, and he got emotional, too…” the fan said (h/t Red Corner MMA).
Chimaev last fought in Sept. 2022, performing as dominantly as he typically has in UFC. Flawless inside the Octagon, Chimaev (12-0) struggled on the scale ahead of his last time out, missing weight by seven and a half pounds. Therefore, canceling his originally planned 170-pound main event with Nate Diaz and turning it into a 180-pound Catchweight contest against Kevin Holland. Chimaev finished “Trailblazer” with a first-round brabo choke submission (watch highlights).
Despite his Top 3 position in the Welterweight ranks, weight is now a reasonable concern for the Sweden resident going forward. Chimaev and his team have already indicated on multiple occasions that the next move will likely be a return to the Middleweight division. There were hopes for Chimaev to compete as recently as UFC 285 this past weekend (March 4, 2023), but nothing wound up coming to fruition.