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Top UFC superstar is latest to sign with RAF
TL;DR
UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has signed with RAF, with his first title defense set for May against Sean Strickland. Chimaev, originally a wrestler, is returning to the mats after his MMA commitments.
Key points
- Khamzat Chimaev is the UFC middleweight champion.
- His first title defense is against Sean Strickland in May.
- Chimaev signed with RAF during RAF 8.
- He has a wrestling background from his time in Sweden.
Mentioned in this story
RAF
Khamzat ChimaevUFCSean Strickland
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 15: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia poses on the scale during the UFC 319 ceremonial weigh-in at Radius Chicago on August 15, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)
UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has his first title defense scheduled for May against Sean Strickland, and then he’ll hit the wrestling mats sometime soon after that.
Chimaev’s signing was announced during RAF 8 on Saturday.
While he’s best known for his MMA career, Chimaev started in wrestling after moving to Sweden where he competed in numerous tournaments and put together an impressive resume. But he ultimately decided to make his move into fighting rather than potentially pursuing international wrestling titles.
Since making MMA his full-time job, Chimaev has become one of the most dominant and popular fighters on the entire UFC roster.
He remains undefeated with a perfect 15-0 record including nine wins in the UFC capped off by a lopsided decision win over Dricus du Plessis this past August to claim the middleweight title.
Chiamev is set to defend his belt against Strickland on May 9 in the UFC 328 main event .
It appears no matter the result, Chimaev is gearing up for a run in RAF where there’s no shortage of potential opponents, especially after Olympic champion Kyle Snyder actually said that’s a matchup he would welcome.
“I’ve seen clips of him wrestling and I think he’s pretty good,” Snyder told MMA Fighting about Chimaev. “He’s similar to Arman [Tsarukyan] where you watch him wrestle and you’re like wow, pretty good. They know what they’re doing. So I think that’s an interesting matchup.”
Whoever it is, Chimaev will undoubtedly draw a lot of eyeballs when he makes his debut hopefully this summer.
Q&A
What is Khamzat Chimaev's first title defense date?
Khamzat Chimaev's first title defense is scheduled for May against Sean Strickland.
Why did Khamzat Chimaev sign with RAF?
Khamzat Chimaev signed with RAF to return to wrestling after his MMA career, as announced during RAF 8.
What was Khamzat Chimaev's background before MMA?
Before his MMA career, Khamzat Chimaev was a wrestler who competed in numerous tournaments after moving to Sweden.
