Dana White Announce Huge ‘Grappling Matchup’ to Determine Future Challenger for Khamzat Chimaev

UFC CEO Dana White announces big middleweight fights in order to search for a challenger for new champion Khamzat Chimaev.

Dana White Announce Huge ‘Grappling Matchup’ to Determine Future Challenger for Khamzat Chimaev

Dana White plans Khamzat Chimaev's title defence (via X)

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Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant performance at UFC 319 made him the new middleweight champion after defeating former champion Dricus Du Plessis. The fight ended with a unanimous decision, showcasing Chimaev’s wrestling control, leaving fans divided yet recognizing his sheer dominance.

UFC CEO Dana White expressed excitement after the bout, promising bigger plans for the middleweight division’s future landscape soon. The UFC middleweight division remains stacked with hungry contenders, all eager to grab their opportunity and claim the prestigious championship.

Reinier de Ridder and Anthony Hernandez have both expressed a strong desire to face Chimaev next, hoping for a title shot. However, Dana White revealed before that both contenders would fight each other at UFC Vancouver in a title eliminator bout.

According to several reports, the highly anticipated fight is scheduled for October 18th, with the winner potentially receiving a significant rankings boost. Reinier de Ridder remains one of the most intriguing fighters in the UFC roster, impressing fans and analysts with consistent octagon outings. His recent victory came against former champion Robert Whittaker solidified his challenger status. 

Before that, the Dutch professional shocked many by halting Bo Nickal’s undefeated hype train, finishing the All-American wrestling standout via TKO. On the other hand, Hernandez is currently on an eight-fight win streak and has dominated everyone with his grappling. He has finished opponents such as Roman Dolidze, Michel Pereira, and Roman Kopylov to earn #6 rank in the middleweight division. 

De Ridder’s submission arsenal and size advantage make him the favorite, giving him multiple opportunities to dominate in grappling exchanges. Meanwhile, Fluffy’s pressure boxing, grappling defense and relentless cardio provide dangerous upset potential. The fight likely unfolds with Hernandez pressing forward aggressively while de Ridder tries early takedowns to establish grappling dominance.

Dan White’s plan for Khamzat Chimaev’s next title contender 

Apart from Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez, other middleweight contenders are pushing for title contention, including Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho. Both fighters are expected to go at each other in the main event of UFC Paris in September.  

Oddsmakers currently favor Imavov slightly due to his striking versatility, but Borralho’s relentless pressure and grappling pedigree keep betting odds competitive. Moreover, Imavov being more active than the Brazilian makes this clash unpredictable. 

Dana White plans Khamzat Chimaev's title defence
Dana White plans Khamzat Chimaev’s title defence (via X)

Imavov’s TKO win against Jared Cannonier displayed a much improved stand-up game, proving his ability to handle elite-level strikers. Later, he also knocked out Israel Adesanya to become a legitimate threat in the division. Meanwhile, Borralho enters this matchup on a strong winning streak, building hype by using powerful grappling control and creative striking.

Borralho’s most recent victory also came against Cannonier where he dominated with technical striking and forward pressure. Nevertheless, both these fighters have the potential to win the middleweight championship, creating huge anticipation. Dana White is well aware of this and has already planned how to settle this confusion for the next middleweight title contender. 

We’ll see how this whole thing plays out, and we’re gonna end up with a middleweight challenger for Khamzat Chimaev’s title…These fights have massive implications.

Dana White via Instagram 

Other than this, seasoned veterans like Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa have also publicly voiced their intentions to challenge Khamzat Chimaev. Strickland strongly believes he was the most suitable candidate to counter Chimaev’s dominant wrestling style due to his anti-wrestling capabilities. Costa, who has a long-standing verbal feud with Chimaev, mocked his ‘boring’ performance displayed recently at UFC 319.

In response, the ‘Borz’ has directly addressed both rivals, making it clear he was prepared and willing to fight either opponent. Chimaev has openly stated he was willing to fight anyone the UFC matches him against, provided he receives fair financial compensation.

Following his dominant victory, Chimaev’s global recognition skyrocketed, with megastars Cristiano Ronaldo and Conor McGregor publicly celebrating his impressive win. With such rapidly growing popularity, the pay-per-view potential for Chimaev’s first UFC middleweight title defense could possibly generate much financial success.

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