🚨BREAKING: Khamzat Chimaev is targeting a December return, with sources pointing to either a Saudi Arabia Fight Night main event or a spot on UFC 335. Coming off the first loss of his career—a razor-close split decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 328—Khamzat has a huge point to prove. The UFC is eyeing Joe Pyfer for his comeback in a high-stakes title eliminator, pitting Khamzat’s suffocating wrestling against Pyfer’s heavy hands. Chimaev has already made it clear that if he doesn’t get a fight booked before the end of the year, he plans to take extended time off. With Strickland already set to defend his belt against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 335, a win over Pyfer puts Khamzat right back at the front of the line for the 185-pound strap.
Khamzat Chimaev is targeting a return to action in December, with sources indicating the UFC is eyeing Joe Pyfer as his comeback opponent in what would serve as a middleweight title eliminator bout.
Chimaev, known as "Borz," enters this prospective matchup carrying the first defeat of his professional career — a razor-close split decision loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328. The 32-year-old UAE-based fighter holds a 15-1-0 record and sits ranked first in the middleweight division, as well as tenth on the pound-for-pound list. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev has built his reputation on suffocating wrestling, averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 60 percent — one of the sharpest marks in the division.
The potential bout could headline a Saudi Arabia Fight Night or feature as part of the UFC 335 card. According to sources, Chimaev has made clear that if a fight is not booked before year's end, he intends to take an extended hiatus.
The backdrop makes the stakes particularly sharp. Middleweight champion Sean Strickland — the man who handed Chimaev that split-decision defeat — is already scheduled to defend his title against third-ranked contender Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 335. Strickland, 35, carries a 31-7-0 record and lands 6.04 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the most active volume strikers in the weight class. Imavov, 30, is 17-4-0, stands six-foot-three, and posts a striking accuracy of 54 percent.
Why it matters
- A Chimaev win over Pyfer would position him as the immediate next challenger at 185 pounds, regardless of who holds the belt after UFC 335.
- The reported style matchup pits Chimaev's elite wrestling and grappling volume against Pyfer's power striking.
- Chimaev's self-imposed deadline adds urgency — the UFC has a narrow window to finalize the booking before losing him to an extended layoff.
- The middleweight title picture could look entirely different by December, with the Strickland-Imavov fight set to reshuffle the rankings first.
