Dana White revealed that Khamzat Chimaev approached him after UFC 328 requesting a move to light heavyweight. Chimaev told White, "I want to move up in weight. I don't want to fight in this weight class anymore." White admitted he hasn't yet considered specific opponents for Chimaev at 205 pounds but finds the prospect of his move to light heavyweight intriguing. The announcement comes after Chimaev's split decision loss to Sean Strickland at middleweight. White's comments confirm that Chimaev's weight-cutting difficulties have reached a point where the fighter is ready to leave the middleweight division entirely.
Dana White confirmed Saturday that Khamzat Chimaev has formally requested a move to the light heavyweight division following his split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9.
White revealed that Chimaev approached him after the fight and told him directly that he no longer wants to compete at middleweight, expressing a clear desire to move up to 205 pounds. White said he finds the prospect intriguing, though he acknowledged he has not yet begun identifying potential opponents for Chimaev at the new weight class.
Chimaev, 32, carries a 15-1 record and entered UFC 328 as the number-one ranked middleweight and the tenth-ranked fighter in the pound-for-pound standings. Representing the United Arab Emirates and training out of Allstars Training Center, the six-foot-two orthodox striker has built one of the most dominant profiles in the sport. He lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 60 percent accuracy, while also averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes — a combination that has made him one of the most complete fighters in the welterweight and middleweight divisions during his rise. The split decision defeat to Strickland was just the second loss of his professional career and his first inside the UFC.
White's comments suggest that Chimaev's well-documented struggles making weight have now pushed him past a tipping point, with the fighter no longer willing to endure the demands of the 185-pound cut.
Why it matters
- Chimaev would enter the light heavyweight division with top-ten pound-for-pound credentials, immediately reshaping the 205-pound landscape
- His elite wrestling and high-volume striking present a difficult stylistic challenge for any fighter in that weight class
- The number-one middleweight vacancy created by his departure opens significant movement in that division's rankings
- No opponent has been targeted yet, leaving his light heavyweight debut timeline uncertain
Saturday, May 9, 2026
