Dana White explains Chimaev's weight struggles and praises career achievement

Dana White used the post-UFC 328 media session to address one of the more persistent questions surrounding Khamzat Chimaev: why a fighter who began his UFC career at welterweight now finds himself struggling to make middleweight.

White framed the weight issue as a natural consequence of success. When fighters reach the top of the sport, their lifestyles change, and managing the scales becomes a different challenge than it was earlier in their careers. The UFC president did not frame this as a failure, however. Instead, White described Chimaev's journey as a complete fulfillment of what was expected of him, stating that when you see someone and immediately believe they are special, and they go on to become a UFC champion, that represents everything you could have hoped for.

Chimaev, now 32 years old and representing the United Arab Emirates, currently sits ranked number one in the middleweight division and tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. He carries a professional record of 15-1 and trains out of Allstars Training Center in Sweden. The six-foot-two, 188-centimeter fighter holds a 75-inch reach and has built his reputation on an aggressive, smothering style that combines elite striking and wrestling. He lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy rate, while also averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes — numbers that place him among the most complete fighters on the roster.

Why it matters

• Chimaev is ranked first in the middleweight division, meaning any discussion of his future directly affects the title picture
• His weight management difficulties raise questions about whether he can continue competing at 185 pounds long term
• The combination of elite striking accuracy and takedown volume makes him a uniquely difficult stylistic challenge for any opponent at any weight class