Khamzat Chimaev responded to Ronda Rousey's recent criticism of the UFC by defending the promotion. Chimaev stated there would be no Ronda without the UFC and expressed frustration with what he called her ingratitude. He questioned how much money Rousey earned as an Olympic champion compared to her UFC career. The post also mentions Chimaev published another training clip of sparring with Brendan Allen. Additionally, Jan Blachowicz underwent successful knee surgery, and Francis Ngannou discussed contractual issues limiting fighters from taking big-money opportunities.
Khamzat Chimaev took aim at Ronda Rousey on social media after the former UFC bantamweight champion made critical remarks about the promotion, with the middleweight contender publicly defending the organization and questioning Rousey's gratitude toward it.
Chimaev, ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth pound-for-pound, made clear he believed Rousey's success was inseparable from the UFC's platform. The 32-year-old from the United Arab Emirates argued there would be no Ronda Rousey without the UFC, and drew a pointed contrast between her earnings as an Olympic champion and the financial rewards she accumulated inside the Octagon. Chimaev carries a 15-1 record and trains out of Allstars Training Center, where he has built one of the most dominant statistical profiles in the division, averaging 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes and landing significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate.
Rousey, now 39, finished her UFC career with a 12-2 record and remains one of the most consequential figures in the history of the sport. Her submission rate of 4.8 attempts per fifteen minutes reflected the ground-and-pound and armbar style that made her a dominant force during her reign. She has since stepped away from combat sports.
In a separate post, Chimaev also shared a sparring clip alongside Brendan Allen, the fifth-ranked middleweight. Allen, 30, holds a 26-7 record and trains with Kill Cliff FC, bringing a well-rounded game that includes a 53 percent striking accuracy and 1.1 submission attempts per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's public stance places him firmly in alignment with UFC leadership at a time when fighter-promotion tensions have drawn wider attention
- Francis Ngannou separately addressed contractual restrictions limiting fighters from pursuing outside opportunities, adding context to a broader conversation about fighter autonomy
- Jan Blachowicz underwent successful knee surgery, a development that will shape the light heavyweight division's near-term landscape
