Khamzat Chimaev shared additional footage of his sparring session with Brendan Allen, continuing to showcase their training exchanges. In separate commentary, Chimaev criticized Ronda Rousey's recent complaints about the UFC, stating there would be no Ronda without the promotion and calling her ungrateful. He questioned how much money she made as an Olympic champion compared to her UFC earnings. Jan Blachowicz successfully underwent knee surgery. Arman Tsarukyan claimed that RAF company valuation increased from 15 million to 110 million after his three fights with them. Francis Ngannou discussed contractual restrictions preventing some fighters from accepting lucrative Netflix fight opportunities.
Khamzat Chimaev continued to generate buzz on social media this week, sharing new sparring footage alongside middleweight contender Brendan Allen while also wading into controversy with pointed remarks directed at Ronda Rousey.
The 32-year-old Chimaev, representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center, holds a 15-1 record and currently sits as the number-one ranked middleweight and tenth in the pound-for-pound standings. One of the most dominant wrestlers in the division, he averages an extraordinary 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands significant strikes at a 60 percent accuracy rate. His sparring partner in the circulating footage, Allen, is no ordinary training dummy — the American carries a 26-7 record, ranks fifth at middleweight, and brings his own well-rounded game with 3.59 significant strikes landed per minute and over one submission attempt per 15 minutes.
Chimaev's commentary on Rousey proved equally attention-grabbing. He criticized the former champion, who holds a 12-2 professional record, for her recent complaints about the UFC. Chimaev argued the promotion was responsible for her financial success, questioning how her earnings as an Olympic champion compared to what the UFC provided her, and calling her ungrateful.
Why it matters
- Chimaev sharing sparring footage with the fifth-ranked Allen keeps the top of the middleweight division in the public conversation
- Chimaev's public criticism of a former UFC champion adds a social media dimension to his already high profile ahead of any potential next booking
- Jan Blachowicz's successful knee surgery and Francis Ngannou's comments on contractual restrictions affecting Netflix fight opportunities both signal ongoing storylines across multiple divisions and promotional landscapes
