Dana White commented on Khamzat Chimaev's strategic approach in the main event, stating he was not surprised that Chimaev didn't rely heavily on wrestling. White recalled that during Fight Island, Chimaev talked about his striking abilities, and White himself had recently mentioned that Chimaev hadn't fought much using his striking in recent bouts. White specifically noted that Chimaev had a difficult weight cut leading into the fight. Despite the challenges, White praised Chimaev as a tough fighter and said he expected him not to give up after the difficult second round.
Dana White said he was not caught off guard by Khamzat Chimaev leaning on his striking rather than his wrestling during the main event, pointing to a difficult weight cut as a key factor in the performance.
White noted that Chimaev had spoken openly about his striking abilities as far back as their conversations during Fight Island, and that he himself had recently observed Chimaev had not been showcasing that side of his game in recent bouts. With the weight cut taking a toll heading into fight night, White felt the shift in approach made sense. He still praised Chimaev as a tough competitor and said he never expected him to fold even after a punishing second round.
Chimaev, now 15-1, is ranked first in the Middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound standings at 32 years old. The fighter who trains out of Allstars Training Center and represents the United Arab Emirates is widely known for overwhelming opponents across multiple phases. His career averages reflect that — 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and a striking accuracy of 60 percent, with 4.04 significant strikes landed per minute. Those numbers have made him one of the most complete fighters in the division, which makes a performance built around boxing rather than grappling a notable talking point regardless of the outcome.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's willingness to strike-first signals a potential evolution in his game plan heading deeper into the middleweight title picture
- A difficult weight cut raises questions about whether Chimaev remains best suited for middleweight long term
- As the number one ranked middleweight, any performance detail feeds directly into conversations about a title shot
