Chimaev Eyes White House in June, 3 Challengers Wait

Khamzat Chimaev's coach Alan 'Finfou' do Nascimento revealed that the middleweight champion is targeting a historic UFC White House event on June 14, 2026, for his next title defense. Three fighters are in contention for the shot: Dricus du Plessis challenger Nassourdine Imavov, Sean Strickland, and Anthony Hernandez. Chimaev is strategically timing his return after Ramadan (Feb 18-Mar 15) to avoid competing during the religious period. Nascimento indicated Chimaev aims for two fights in 2026, with the first potentially in June or July. The White House event would be unprecedented—even legendary fighters from previous eras never competed there. However, the UFC has not yet confirmed any details, and the promotion may wait for the outcome of Strickland vs. Hernandez this weekend to determine the strongest contender.