Dillon Danis expressed shock at Khamzat Chimaev's billing as the main event at the RAF10 press conference, questioning his credentials for the role. Danis suggested Chimaev's grappling style makes him an unsuitable headliner for a wrestling-focused event.
Dillon Danis publicly questioned Khamzat Chimaev's credentials as the headlining act at the RAF10 press conference on June 13, expressing surprise that "Borz" was positioned at the top of the card and arguing that his grappling-heavy style makes him an ill fit to headline a wrestling-focused event.
Chimaev enters the spotlight as one of the most dominant figures in the middleweight division. The 32-year-old, who trains out of Allstars Training Center and competes under the United Arab Emirates flag, carries a 15-1-0 professional record and sits ranked first in the middleweight division as well as tenth in the pound-for-pound standings. At six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev is a physically imposing presence who backs that up with elite numbers across the board. He lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 60 percent, while also averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes — a figure that underscores the grappling-oriented identity Danis appears to take issue with. Chimaev also averages 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, cementing his reputation as a multi-dimensional threat who consistently drags fights to the mat.
Why it matters
- Chimaev's number-one middleweight ranking and top-ten pound-for-pound status make him a credible marquee name by most conventional measures.
- Danis's criticism centers on stylistic fit rather than Chimaev's overall credentials, raising a debate about what kind of headliner best suits a wrestling-oriented promotion.
- The public comments add friction around RAF10's build-up and could draw wider attention to the event's card positioning ahead of fight night.
Saturday, June 13, 2026
