RAF wrestling league announces signing of Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev has expanded his combat sports footprint after the RAF wrestling league officially announced the signing of the unrelenting middleweight contender to its roster, adding a professional wrestling chapter to his already formidable career.

Chimaev, known by his nickname "Borz," enters the arrangement as one of the most feared fighters in the UFC. The 32-year-old, representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center, carries a 15-1-0 professional MMA record and sits ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound standings. His grappling pedigree translates directly into his cage output — he averages an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, and his striking remains equally sharp, with a 60 percent accuracy rate and 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute. His six-foot-two frame and a 75-inch reach further underscore why opponents find him a uniquely difficult puzzle to solve.

The announcement drew immediate attention across combat sports, with UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal publicly issuing a challenge to Chimaev in response to the news. No details regarding contract terms or a scheduled debut date in the RAF were disclosed alongside the announcement.

Why it matters

• Chimaev is the top-ranked middleweight contender, meaning any outside activity draws heightened scrutiny from the MMA community
• His elite wrestling credentials make him a natural fit for professional wrestling competition, lending credibility to the signing
• Bo Nickal's public challenge adds an immediate narrative thread linking this development back to the UFC middleweight landscape
• The move signals Chimaev's ambition to compete across multiple combat sports disciplines simultaneously