Times have changed for “Borz.”
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev is set to defend his title for the first time next month (Sat., May 9, 2026) against heated rival Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
When Chimaev burst onto the scene in 2020, he became an instant star by fighting three times in rapid succession, making UFC history as it was the fastest three-fight winning streak in modern UFC. It was a pace
that built massive expectations around his activity level moving forward.
That pace didn’t last.
Since then, Chimaev has fought far less frequently, often limited to once per year. Some of that has been out of his control — including health issues and travel restrictions that kept him competing primarily in the Middle East.
Still, fans have continued to question his inactivity.
Chimaev, however, isn’t losing sleep over it.
“I don’t care,” Chiamev told Beyond The Win when asked if fan criticism affects him. “I’m making millions. These people are just talking and doing nothing. Like, if you do your work, I don’t need to go and watch you and [judge you] on how you do, how often you work out, how much you get. I care about myself, how much I make, and how much I fight.”
And according to the champion, his biggest paydays aren’t even coming from inside the Octagon.
“I was living in a gym, and now, I’m living the dream,” Chimaev said. “I make more money outside of the UFC because of who I’ve become. Wherever I go, people want to sponsor me, they want to do different things with me, and send me things.”
With a title defense scheduled for May, Chimaev could still end up having a relatively active year — especially if he’s able to fight for UFC’s annual Abu Dhabi card later in 2026. — that is, if he defends against his heated rival, Strickland.
But if you’re expecting him to fight just to silence critics?
Don’t count on it.
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