Khamzat Chimaev stated that no MMA fighter, including himself, has reached the level of his idols in combat sports. He specifically named Jon Jones, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, and Buvaisar Saitiev as figures he looks up to. Chimaev emphasized that all current MMA fighters are still very far from matching these legends. He believes that something truly special would need to be accomplished to come close to their achievements. The post indicates that this is considered a respectable and worthy list of role models.
Khamzat Chimaev has opened up about the combat sports figures who shaped his ambitions, naming Jon Jones, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, and freestyle wrestling legend Buvaisar Saitiev as the icons he measures greatness against.
Speaking in a recent interview, Chimaev was direct in his assessment: no active MMA fighter, including himself, has come close to the levels those four names represent. He stressed that something truly extraordinary would need to be achieved before any modern competitor could stand in their company.
Chimaev, known as "Borz," currently holds the number-one ranking in the UFC middleweight division and sits tenth on the pound-for-pound list. The 30-year-old — now 32 and fighting out of the United Arab Emirates under the Allstars Training Center banner — carries a 15-1-0 professional record and has built a reputation as one of the most complete threats in the sport. He lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a 60 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging an imposing 5.29 takedowns per fifteen minutes.
Among the names on his list, Jones needs little introduction. "Bones" holds a 28-1-0 record and is widely regarded as a generational talent. Standing six-foot-four with an 84-inch reach, Jones has averaged 4.38 significant strikes per minute across his career at 58 percent accuracy, while also mixing in consistent wrestling and submission threats.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's framing sets a high personal benchmark, signaling he views current MMA — including his own career — as still unfinished business.
- The inclusion of Saitiev, a three-time freestyle wrestling world champion, reflects how deeply Chimaev's combat identity is rooted in grappling tradition.
- With Chimaev ranked first at middleweight and inside the top ten pound-for-pound, the gap he describes between himself and his idols adds rare humility to one of the division's most dominant profiles.
