Khamzat Chimaev responded to Ronda Rousey's recent criticism of the UFC, defending the promotion and calling out what he sees as ingratitude. Chimaev argued that Rousey wouldn't exist without the UFC, questioning how much she earned as an Olympic champion before joining the promotion. He also published another clip of sparring footage showing him working with Brendan Allen. Additionally, Francis Ngannou commented on modern fighters' mistakes, identifying fear of losing contracts and signing unfavorable deals as major issues. Ngannou revealed that some fighters were offered lucrative fights with him on Netflix but were prevented by restrictive contract obligations.
Khamzat Chimaev has publicly pushed back against Ronda Rousey's criticism of the UFC, defending the promotion in pointed terms while also sharing new sparring footage alongside middleweight contender Brendan Allen.
Chimaev, the number-one ranked middleweight and number-ten pound-for-pound fighter in the world, argued that Rousey owes her global profile to the UFC, questioning how much she earned as an Olympic champion before joining the promotion. The 32-year-old, who fights out of the UAE under Allstars Training Center, carries a 15-1 record and is among the most dominant grapplers in the sport, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes with a striking accuracy of 60 percent.
Rousey, who compiled a 12-2 professional record during her career and was a pioneer in women's MMA, has drawn Chimaev's ire following her recent public comments about the organization. The 39-year-old American was known for her aggressive grappling, averaging 4.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes across her career.
Also weighing in on the business side of the sport was Francis Ngannou, who identified fighter contract management as a critical problem in modern MMA. Ngannou revealed that some fighters had been offered significant bouts alongside him on Netflix but were blocked from accepting due to restrictive existing contracts. He framed fear of losing promotional deals as a key reason fighters sign unfavorable agreements in the first place.
The sparring clip Chimaev posted features Brendan Allen, the fifth-ranked middleweight from the United States. The six-foot-two Kill Cliff FC fighter holds a 26-7 record, lands 3.59 significant strikes per minute at 53 percent accuracy, and adds 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes to his game.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's public defense of the UFC signals his alignment with the promotion amid broader fighter-pay debates
- Ngannou's Netflix comments highlight how promotional contracts can limit fighters' outside earning opportunities
- Chimaev and Allen sparring together keeps both middleweights visible ahead of what could be pivotal divisional matchups
