Khamzat Chimaev says he would never fight Khalil Rountree

Khamzat Chimaev stated that he would never fight Khalil Rountree if he moves to light heavyweight because he considers Rountree his brother. Chimaev explained his philosophy by saying that some fighters call someone a brother today and fight them tomorrow, but he cannot operate that way and wants to be genuine. He emphasized this position regarding potential matchups if he transitions to the 205-pound division. The statement reflects Chimaev's personal code about competing against teammates or close training partners.