Khamzat Chimaev draws ex-UFC champ at Abu Dhabi after Colby Covington exit

Khamzat Chimaev has a new opponent for the Abu Dhabi card after Colby Covington dropped off the event, MMA Junkie reported. The replacement is a former UFC champion, though the report did not name him.

Chimaev, 32, represents the United Arab Emirates and fights out of Allstars Training Center. The 15-1 middleweight is ranked No. 1 in his division and No. 10 on the pound-for-pound list. He is coming off the first loss of his career, a split decision to Sean Strickland in a five-round title fight at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026. That defeat followed a unanimous decision win over Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025, and a first-round submission of Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October 2024.

Statistically, Chimaev is built on wrestling pressure. He averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes, while landing 4.04 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy.

Covington, 38, is 17-5 and fights out of MMA Masters. His most recent recorded fight was a doctor's stoppage TKO loss to Joaquin Buckley in December 2024, which came a year after a unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards in a title fight at UFC 296. His last recorded win was a unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal in March 2022. He lands 3.81 significant strikes per minute at 38 percent accuracy and averages 3.64 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Why it matters

• Chimaev gets a quick path back to the cage after his split decision loss to Strickland, with a fight that now carries a different profile than the Covington matchup.
• Covington's exit removes a fellow high-volume wrestler from the card. Chimaev's 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes sits well above Covington's 3.64.
• The size of the name stepping in matters for a No. 1-ranked middleweight: a former champion is a notable opponent for any contender.
• The opponent's identity has yet to be reported, so the stylistic matchup remains an open question.