Joe Rogan has stated his opinion that Khamzat Chimaev has yet to encounter truly high-level wrestlers in his UFC career. The UFC commentator and podcast host suggested that Chimaev's grappling dominance has not been tested by opponents with elite wrestling credentials. This observation comes as Chimaev continues his rise through the middleweight division. Rogan's assessment focuses specifically on the wrestling aspect of Chimaev's opposition rather than his overall competition level. The post does not specify when or where Rogan made these comments.
Khamzat Chimaev's grappling has overwhelmed nearly every opponent he has faced in the UFC, but commentator and podcast host Joe Rogan believes a key question remains unanswered: has "Borz" ever been tested by a truly elite wrestler?
Rogan recently voiced the opinion that Chimaev's wrestling dominance has yet to be challenged by opponents carrying high-level credentials on the mat. While he acknowledged the Chimaev hype is real, Rogan's point centers specifically on the wrestling pedigree of those who have stood across from him, not the overall quality of his opposition.
The case for Chimaev's dominance is not hard to make on paper. The 32-year-old Allstars Training Center product carries a 15-1 record and sits ranked first in the middleweight division, with a top-ten pound-for-pound position to his name. Fighting out of the United Arab Emirates, the orthodox striker lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable sixty-percent accuracy rate. His wrestling is the engine that makes everything work: he averages 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes, a number that places him among the most prolific grapplers in the sport, and he adds 1.8 submission attempts per fifteen minutes to keep opponents guessing on the ground.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's elite takedown rate has looked unstoppable, but Rogan's question raises whether that volume would hold against a division-level wrestling specialist
- At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev has the physical tools to operate in multiple ranges, yet his middleweight climb has not yet produced a clear wrestling litmus test
- A future matchup against an opponent with genuine collegiate or Olympic-level wrestling credentials would finally answer what Rogan is asking
