Not many fighters in the UFC can say they went toe-to-toe with Khamzat Chimaev inside the Octagon. ‘Borz’ has steamrolled most opponents in his path, just like he did against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 and claimed the middleweight belt. However, only Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns can truly claim they gave Chimaev a run for his money.
At UFC 319 on August 16, 2025, in Chicago’s United Center, Chimaev beat du Plessis by unanimous decision — 50–44 on all three judges’ scorecards — to capture the middleweight title.
The 15-minute war against ‘Durinho’ at UFC 273 often gets overlooked since Chimaev barely used his relentless grappling that night. Instead, fans mostly point to Usman’s fight as the toughest test of ‘Borz’s career so far. And why not? ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ stepped in on just over a week’s notice at UFC 294 after Paulo Costa pulled out with a late injury, yet still pushed Chimaev to a majority decision (29–27, 29–27, 28–28). Many fans called it a moral victory for Usman. But the former welterweight champion sees it differently.
Kamaru Usman gives credit to Khamzat Chimaev for their fight
On the Pound-for-Pound podcast, the ex-170 lbs champ dismissed the narrative that his loss should be softened just because he gave Chimaev problems during their UFC 294 bout. Usman made it clear that, even though he’s one of the few fighters who truly threatened Chimaev, a loss will always be a loss. As a competitor, he refuses to treat it like a moral victory.
Usman said, “Listen, everyone was saying that about him. First and foremost, let’s address the whole ‘Oh, you took the fight on short notice’ thing. At the end of the day, I know who I am as a fighter and the way I approach this game, and so does Khamzat Chimaev. Bottom line, it was still a loss on my record, and it was a win on Khamzat’s side of the column. So, is there this idea that I should feel a certain type of way about it? No! I don’t feel any sort of way like that. It was an L, and there’s mutual respect there because I respect him for how he came at it.”
MMA: UFC 279-Chimaev vs Holland, Sep 10, 2022 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Khamzat Chimaev red gloves fights Kevin Holland blue gloves during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports, 10.09.2022 20:53:50, 19026314, NPStrans, T-Mobile Arena, Holland, Kevin Holland, MMA, TopPic PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJoexCamporealex 19026314
Well, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ poured his heart out on how he views his loss against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. But he didn’t stop there. Usman also pointed out that both he and ‘Borz’ share grappling as their foundation, which naturally made their styles clash in a way that produced a highly competitive fight. Because of that, he believes fans should give the undefeated Chechen-Emirati his credit for securing the win and simply move on.
He added, “Also, styles make fights. I’m a much different style than these other guys. I’ve said many times: you don’t know until you actually get in there. Khamzat did the best he could, and he got the win. So, let’s give him that credit and move on!”
Once again, the former welterweight champ made a strong point. Chimaev deserves just as much applause for what he did against Usman, especially considering how dominant he looked in that opening round, much like he does against everyone else. But as the conversation shifted back toward Chimaev’s UFC 319 performance, as impressed as Usman was, he still couldn’t resist pointing out some key mistakes in the current middleweight champion’s game.
Usman pointed out Borz’s crucial mistakes against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 bout
Chimaev entered the Octagon against Du Plessis as almost a two-to-one favorite. Fans backed him heavily before UFC 319, believing in his ability to finish the fight at any given moment. However, the former South African champ, despite being badly taken down, managed to escape several of the submission attempts ‘Borz’ tried to lock in. According to Kamaru Usman, though, the newly crowned middleweight champ made some key mistakes that actually kept him from securing a finish.
Usman explained on the Pound-for-Pound podcast, “A couple of times I felt like he could’ve sucked him back, or he could’ve put that weight on Dricus du Plessis’ arms, driving that head down, just keeping on driving and driving. I guarantee if you do that for a round, Dricus either goes to his back or he gives up those positions a lot easier, and that allows you to get that choke.”
The former welterweight champion makes a solid assessment here. Although Chimaev did many things right! He took more of a Khabib Nurmagomedov-style approach, relying on grappling control rather than aggressively chasing a submission. Instead of hunting for the back and locking up a choke, he prioritized top control and landing repeated strikes. Had he actively pursued the back, Chimaev might have found the finish, though it would’ve required a lot more energy.
After UFC 319, fans debated whether Chimaev’s dominance was entertaining or monotonous. On X and Reddit, some called the fight “boring,” while veteran fighters like Demetrious Johnson defended the performance as a masterclass in control and endurance. That split has fueled ongoing discussions about damage versus control in MMA scoring.
Looking forward, industry chatter points to the winner of Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho at UFC Paris as a likely first defense for Chimaev. Other names in circulation include Anthony Hernandez. While nothing is official, speculation among media and fans already paints Chimaev as the division’s central figure heading into late 2025.
That said, what did you think of Khamzat Chimaev’s performance at the United Center? And what are your thoughts on Kamaru Usman’s take on his fight against ‘Borz’? Let us know in the comments below.
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