Chimaev’s Comeback Led to UFC Gold
Khamzat Chimaev’s return at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024, began a run that took him to the UFC middleweight championship. He submitted Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi, later defeated Dricus du Plessis for the belt, and lost it to Sean Strickland in May 2026.
The delayed Whittaker contest
Chimaev had withdrawn through illness from a planned June 2024 meeting with Whittaker in Saudi Arabia. Their eventual contest at Etihad Arena ended with a face-crank submission at 3:34 of the first round.
The win kept Chimaev unbeaten and supplied a major result against a former middleweight champion after the interrupted summer schedule.
Championship victory in Chicago
At UFC 319 on August 16, 2025, Chimaev challenged du Plessis at the United Center in Chicago. He took the champion down almost immediately and repeatedly used wrestling and control to limit the South African’s offense.
All three judges scored the five-round contest 50–44 for Chimaev. The unanimous decision made him UFC middleweight champion.
Strickland won the next title contest
Sean Strickland ended that reign at UFC 328 in Newark on May 9, 2026. Chimaev controlled the opening round on the ground, but Strickland recovered and the later rounds featured extended striking exchanges.
Two judges favored Strickland 48–47, while the third returned the same score for Chimaev. The split decision handed Chimaev his first professional defeat and returned the championship to Strickland, completing a sequence from comeback victory to title win and subsequent loss.
Sources
- UFC: Whittaker submission at UFC 308
- MMA Fighting: June withdrawal
- UFC: Chicago date, venue and title-winning scorecards
- UFC: Chimaev’s championship-winning performance
- UFC: Strickland’s split decision and Newark event date
- UFC: UFC 328 fight sequence and first Chimaev defeat
