Dana White confirms Chimaev wants to move up to light heavyweight division

UFC President Dana White confirmed on May 10 that Khamzat Chimaev approached him in the aftermath of UFC 328, held the previous evening, to request a move up to the light heavyweight division, telling White directly that he no longer wishes to compete at middleweight.

The development follows Chimaev's split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328, which cost him the middleweight championship bout's outcome. White acknowledged he has not yet begun identifying potential opponents for Chimaev at 205 pounds but described the prospect of the move as interesting, signaling the organization is open to accommodating the request despite having no immediate matchmaking plans in place.

Strickland, who retained his middleweight title with the victory, carries a record of 31 wins and 7 losses. The 35-year-old American trains out of Xtreme Couture and fights out of an orthodox stance. Standing 185 centimeters tall with a 76-inch reach, he is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy, while averaging 0.71 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Chimaev's departure from middleweight, if confirmed, would remove a top contender from the 185-pound picture and reshape the divisional landscape.
• His arrival at light heavyweight at 205 pounds would immediately generate matchmaking interest in a stacked division.
• The move came directly from Chimaev himself after a championship-level loss, raising questions about how the UFC will balance his standing across two weight classes.
• White's openness to the switch suggests the UFC views Chimaev as a marketable draw at light heavyweight regardless of how quickly opponents are lined up.