Kamaru Usman believes Hamzat Chimaev should fight Magomed Ankalaev for the light heavyweight title. Usman outlined a scenario where Chimaev defends his middleweight title and then moves up in weight. With Carlos Ulberg potentially sidelined for 9-12 months due to injury, Usman suggests either a fight for the interim light heavyweight title or that Ulberg vacates the belt. In either case, Usman proposes Chimaev versus Ankalaev for the 205-pound championship. The post asks readers to support this option if Chimaev defeats Strickland.
Kamaru Usman has publicly floated the idea of a light heavyweight title fight between Hamzat Chimaev and Magomed Ankalaev, though the proposal has not been officially confirmed by the UFC or any of the fighters involved.
Usman, a 39-year-old former welterweight champion now ranked eighth at 170 pounds, laid out a specific scenario on social media. In his vision, Chimaev first defends the middleweight title before moving up to 205 pounds. With current light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg reportedly facing a nine-to-twelve-month layoff due to injury, Usman suggested the New Zealander could either be stripped of the belt or defend an interim version of it, clearing the path for Chimaev and Ankalaev to meet for the championship. Usman also noted the plan hinges on Chimaev defeating Sean Strickland.
Ulberg, who holds a 15-1 record and sits third in the division, is a striker with serious volume — he lands 6.54 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, the City Kickboxing product represents a significant obstacle if healthy.
Ankalaev enters the conversation as the top-ranked light heavyweight in the world and the fifth-ranked fighter pound-for-pound. The 34-year-old Russian carries a 21-2-1 record and is known for a disciplined, measured style, landing 3.65 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while mixing in 0.79 takedowns per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's reported injury has created genuine uncertainty at the top of the 205-pound division
- Ankalaev, ranked first in the division and fifth pound-for-pound, has long been considered a title frontrunner
- A Chimaev move to light heavyweight would represent one of the more ambitious cross-division campaigns in recent UFC history
- The scenario remains unconfirmed and depends on outcomes that have not yet occurred
