The RAF wrestling league has officially announced the signing of Khamzat Chimaev to their organization. This represents Chimaev's entry into competitive wrestling outside of MMA. The announcement follows recent callouts and challenges involving the Chechen fighter. Details about specific matches or opponents were not included in the announcement.
The RAF wrestling league has officially announced the signing of Khamzat Chimaev, marking the undefeated-in-all-but-one fighter's formal entry into competitive wrestling outside of MMA.
Chimaev, known by the nickname "Borz," carries a professional MMA record of 15-1-0 and currently sits as the number-one ranked middleweight in the UFC, also placing tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. The 32-year-old, who represents the United Arab Emirates and trains out of Allstars Training Center in Sweden, stands six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. His MMA numbers speak to a well-rounded and aggressive game — he lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 60 percent, while also averaging an imposing 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes. The RAF signing comes amid a period of public callouts and challenges directed at the Chechen-born fighter, suggesting the move into competitive wrestling may be connected to that recent activity.
The announcement from the RAF wrestling league did not include details about specific matches, opponents, or a timeline for Chimaev's participation.
Why it matters
- Chimaev is the top-ranked UFC middleweight and a top-ten pound-for-pound fighter, making any activity outside the cage newsworthy for the division
- His elite takedown rate in MMA — over five per 15 minutes — signals a genuine wrestling pedigree, lending credibility to the move
- No opponents or match dates were named, leaving the competitive scope of his RAF involvement unclear
- The signing adds another dimension to Chimaev's public profile at a time when his name has already been circulating heavily due to recent callouts
