Middleweight contender Brendan Allen visited a training camp where he ended up sparring with Khamzat Chimaev inside the cage. The encounter was captured on video and shared on social media. Allen had previously made statements about being able to dominate Chimaev in a fight, making this sparring session particularly notable. The post suggests the sparring session was significant, though specific details about how the session went or what the results were are limited in the original message. This type of high-level sparring between ranked UFC fighters at different camps is relatively uncommon and generates interest among fans.
Middleweight contender Brendan Allen stepped into the cage with top-ranked Khamzat Chimaev during a training camp visit, with footage of the sparring session making its way onto social media on April 14.
Allen, ranked fifth in the UFC middleweight division, carries a 26-7-0 professional record and trains out of Kill Cliff FC. The 30-year-old American stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach and has built a reputation as a well-rounded threat, averaging 3.59 significant strikes per minute at 53 percent accuracy while also posing a consistent grappling danger with 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Allen had previously gone on record stating he believed he could dominate Chimaev in a fight, which adds an unmistakable edge to the footage.
Chimaev, known as "Borz," sits at number one in the middleweight rankings and holds a pound-for-pound ranking of tenth in the world. The 32-year-old fighting out of Allstars Training Center in the United Arab Emirates owns a 15-1-0 record and produces some of the most imposing numbers in the division, landing 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a 60 percent clip while averaging a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Allen's prior public statements about dominating Chimaev make this sparring session a storyline in its own right within the middleweight division.
- Both fighters share identical physical dimensions at six-foot-two and a 75-inch reach, making for a direct stylistic comparison.
- A strong showing by either man in this kind of visible, high-profile sparring can shift the conversation around potential matchmaking at the top of the division.
- Cross-camp sparring between ranked UFC middleweights at this level is rare and draws genuine attention from fans and matchmakers alike.
