Kevin Holland has stated that while he generally wants to avenge his losses, he has no interest in a rematch with Khamzat Chimaev. Holland was emphatic in his rejection of any proposal to face Chimaev again. The post also mentions that Brendan Allen, who previously claimed he would demolish Chimaev, visited Chimaev's training camp for sparring sessions with results shown on video. Additionally, Carlos Ulberg stated he wants Magomed Ankalaev for his first title defense, Paulo Costa moved up to number seven in the light heavyweight rankings and called out for a BMF belt fight, Sean O'Malley is struggling with Jiri Prochazka's loss, and footage surfaced of a college wrestling match between Bo Nickal and Josh Hockitt.
Kevin Holland has made clear he is open to rematches with most of his past opponents — but Khamzat Chimaev is a firm exception. Speaking publicly, Holland was emphatic that a second fight with Chimaev holds zero interest for him, drawing a sharp line around that one name while leaving the door open elsewhere.
Holland's comments come amid a busy stretch of news across several divisions. One notable detail connected to the Chimaev conversation involves Brendan Allen, the number-five-ranked middleweight who had previously boasted he would demolish Chimaev. Video footage reportedly surfaced showing Allen visiting Chimaev's training camp for sparring sessions, though the results of those exchanges are being left to viewers to interpret.
Allen, who fights out of Kill Cliff FC and carries a 26-7 record at age 30, is one of the more well-rounded middleweights in the division. He averages 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes and attempts over one submission per 15 minutes, making him a legitimate grappling threat to most opponents.
Why it matters
- Holland's public refusal to pursue a Chimaev rematch signals a clear split in how he views his losses and his future path in the division.
- Allen's sparring visit to Chimaev's camp adds an interesting layer given his prior confident words, and the video evidence puts those claims in a new light.
- Elsewhere in light heavyweight, Carlos Ulberg has targeted Magomed Ankalaev for a first title defense, while Paulo Costa — who holds a 16-4 record and lands 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — has moved up to number seven in the division and is calling for a BMF belt fight.
- Jiri Prochazka, the second-ranked light heavyweight at 32-6-1, suffered a recent loss that has drawn attention from Sean O'Malley, who has publicly reacted to the result.
