Khamzat Chimaev Makes UFC Title Contender Question Himself After Eye-Opening Training Sessions

UFC light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr highlights his experience of sparring middleweight kingpin Khamzat Chimaev.

Khamzat Chimaev Makes UFC Title Contender Question Himself After Eye-Opening Training Sessions

Khamzat Chimaev training with Khalil Rountree Jr (via Instagram)

In Short
  • Khamzat Chimaev is preparing for his first title defense at UFC 328 against Sean Strickland.
  • Khalil Rountree Jr. described training with Chimaev as painful and humbling, highlighting Chimaev's dominance.
  • Chimaev's recent training sessions focus on high-volume workouts under conditioning coach Sam Calavitta.

Khamzat Chimaev has emerged as one of the most dominant fighters to step into the UFC octagon. His suffocating grappling pressure has repeatedly overwhelmed elite opponents, raising questions about who could realistically defeat him in MMA. However, that success comes with a reputation for brutal training and sparring sessions, recently highlighted by light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr.

Chimaev’s preparation camps often focus on high-volume training sessions that he attends twice a day. While he possesses a strong wrestling foundation due to his Chechen roots, he has also developed a dangerous striking arsenal. Outside of fight camp, the Chechen superstar’s large frame often makes him look more like a heavyweight, which is why he frequently prefers training with heavier opponents.

Chimaev has recently become a regular presence at the Treigning Lab facility in Southern California. He was seen training with Khalil Rountree Jr. during an intense sparring session there. Footage showed both fighters landing heavy shots, with Chimaev even nearly dropping the #4-ranked light heavyweight with a powerful right hand, setting up Rountree’s recent comments about the experience of sparring ‘Borz’.

It was painful. There were definitely moments where I would call them humbling because they make me question certain things that I even say about myself. Sometimes I think I’m in good shape, and then I face a workout like this and it makes me realize that there’s so much more to go, and so it’s eye-opening.

Khalil Rountree Jr via JAXXON podcast

Rountree Jr. is an established contender in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, known for his powerful Muay Thai striking. Despite suffering several knockout losses during his career, he remains a dangerous and experienced competitor at the elite level. The Los Angeles natives’ reflections on the sparring session ultimately highlighted how Chimaev imposed dominance despite facing a naturally heavier opponent.

Chimaev is currently training under renowned conditioning coach Sam Calavitta at the Tregining Lab facility in Southern California. Calavitta is known for his highly technical and data-driven approach to strength and conditioning. His program has helped the Chechen star steadily rebuild conditioning while recovering from a foot injury that has kept him sidelined since his title win at UFC 319 in August 2025.

Khamzat Chimaev is currently preparing for his upcoming title defense at UFC 328 against Sean Strickland. The bout will mark the first official title defense since capturing the title in 2025. With the stakes high against an experienced opponent, Chimaev appears to be entering the fight in peak condition, something reinforced by the intensity of his recent training sessions with Khalil Rountree Jr.

Former champion doubles down on his comments regarding Khamzat Chimaev vs Sean Strickland

Khamzat Chimaev’s performance against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 was so dominant that it entered the UFC record books. The Chechen star captured the middleweight title after securing 12 takedowns and controlling the fight for over 21 minutes across five rounds. The overwhelming performance resulted in a unanimous 50-44 decision and one of the most dominant championship victories in UFC history.

Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319
Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 (via X)

However, Du Plessis is very familiar with Sean Strickland’s style after defeating him twice at UFC 297 and UFC 312. While many have given Strickland little chance against Chimaev at UFC 328, the South African has continued to highlight the striking threats Strickland brings. He recently doubled down on that stance after the official announcement of the championship bout at UFC 328.

Strickland previously defied the odds when he shocked the MMA world by defeating Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title at UFC 293. As he prepares to challenge Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 328, the matchup once again places him in the underdog position. However, recent analysis from fellow fighters suggests his disciplined striking style could still present unique challenges for the dominant champion.

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