Khamzat Chimaev discussed how he spent $700,000 to construct a training facility in his native village. The post provides limited details about the specific location of the gym or when the project was completed. Chimaev's investment in his hometown demonstrates his commitment to giving back to his community and potentially developing local talent. The gym likely serves as a training facility for aspiring fighters and athletes in the region. This represents a significant financial investment by Chimaev in grassroots sports development.
Khamzat Chimaev has revealed that he invested $700,000 to build a training gym in the village where he grew up, shining a light on a significant personal commitment to grassroots sports development in his home community.
Chimaev, known by his nickname "Borz," currently holds the number-one ranking in the UFC middleweight division and sits tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 32-year-old carries a professional record of 15-1 and trains out of Allstars Training Center. Representing the United Arab Emirates, he has built a reputation as one of the most physically dominant fighters in the sport, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and posting a striking accuracy of 60 percent — a figure that stands well above the divisional average.
The six-foot-two fighter with a 75-inch reach disclosed the $700,000 expenditure in a recent public statement, though specific details about the facility's exact location and the timeline of its completion were not provided. The gym is understood to serve aspiring fighters and athletes from the region, giving local talent access to professional-level infrastructure.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's financial commitment represents a rare instance of a top-ranked UFC contender channeling personal wealth directly into community sports development.
- The facility could help identify and cultivate future combat sports talent from an area that may have limited access to high-level training resources.
- For a fighter ranked inside the UFC's top ten pound-for-pound, the investment underscores a profile that extends beyond competition and into broader cultural influence.
The scale of the project — $700,000 — places it among the more substantial athlete-funded sports infrastructure efforts seen in MMA, reflecting both Chimaev's financial standing and his stated desire to give back to his roots.
