Khamzat Chimaev released additional footage showing him dominating Brendan Allen in sparring sessions. Beyond the sparring content, Chimaev also weighed in on Ronda Rousey's recent public criticism of the UFC, strongly defending the promotion. Chimaev stated there would be no Ronda Rousey without the UFC and expressed frustration with what he called her ingratitude, pointing out that she earned far less as an Olympic champion than she did in the UFC. In other news briefs, Michael Morales posted a photo with Hunter Campbell suggesting signed paperwork, Jan Blachowicz successfully underwent knee surgery, Arman Tsarukyan claimed RAF's value increased from 15 million to 110 million after three of his fights, another video emerged of Alex Pereira working pads with Glover Teixeira, and Francis Ngannou discussed how fear of losing contracts causes fighters to sign unfavorable deals, mentioning that some fighters were offered lucrative Netflix fights with him but are bound by restrictive UFC contracts.
Khamzat Chimaev has been making waves on social media, releasing additional sparring footage showing him working over middleweight contender Brendan Allen, while also taking aim at Ronda Rousey over her public criticism of the UFC.
Chimaev, ranked first in the middleweight division and tenth on the pound-for-pound list, carries a 15-1 record and represents one of the most dominant forces in the 185-pound weight class. The 32-year-old training out of Allstars Training Center lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a 60 percent accuracy rate, and his wrestling is equally imposing at 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes. He was direct in his comments about Rousey, arguing that the UFC made her financially and that her criticism of the promotion amounted to ingratitude, noting she earned far more inside the Octagon than she ever did as an Olympic champion.
Allen, ranked fifth at middleweight with a 26-7 record, is no soft sparring partner. The 30-year-old American out of Kill Cliff FC strikes at 3.59 significant strikes per minute with 53 percent accuracy and adds consistent grappling pressure through 1.56 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. The footage of Chimaev handling him in the gym drew considerable attention given Allen's standing in the division.
Elsewhere in the news, veteran Glover Teixeira was seen on video working pads with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Teixeira, 46, holds a 33-9 record and has long served as a training and mentorship figure within the sport.
Why it matters
- Chimaev posting dominant sparring footage against a top-five middleweight amplifies his case for a title shot
- The Rousey commentary adds a social media dimension to ongoing fighter-promotion relations debates
- Teixeira's continued presence alongside Pereira signals an active camp ahead of the champion's next assignment
