Khamzat Chimaev has officially signed a contract with the RAF wrestling league. The announcement confirms Chimaev will be competing in wrestling matches outside of his MMA career. Details about his first opponent or the date of his debut match were not disclosed in the post. The post asked fans who they would like to see Chimaev face in a wrestling bout. This represents Chimaev expanding his combat sports activities beyond the UFC octagon.
Khamzat Chimaev has added another combat sports venture to his resume, officially signing a contract with the RAF wrestling league, an announcement confirmed on April 19, 2026. The deal will see the MMA star compete in organized wrestling competition outside of the UFC, though no first opponent or debut date has been announced. The organization invited fans to weigh in on who they would like to see Chimaev face on the mat.
Chimaev, known by his nickname "Borz," enters this new chapter as one of the most decorated grapplers in the UFC's middleweight division. The 32-year-old, who represents the United Arab Emirates and trains out of Allstars Training Center in Sweden, carries a professional MMA record of 15-1-0 and currently holds the number-one ranking in the middleweight division, sitting tenth in the pound-for-pound standings. His grappling credentials inside the octagon are well documented — he averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, a figure that ranks among the most aggressive in the sport. His submission attempts average 1.8 per 15 minutes, underscoring how relentlessly he seeks to finish opponents on the ground. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, he also brings an imposing physical frame to any wrestling format.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's elite takedown volume in MMA translates directly to competitive wrestling, making him a legitimate threat in the format rather than a celebrity crossover
- The signing signals a broader expansion of his combat sports profile beyond the UFC octagon
- No opponent or date has been confirmed, leaving the competitive stakes of his wrestling debut unclear for now
