Ever since his 2020 UFC debut, when he earned a trio of dominant victories in a stretch of simply 65 days, Khamzat Chimaev has been the promotion’s biggest enigma as a fighter who’s able to magic in a single efficiency solely to look surprisingly human in his subsequent amid a considerably constant stretch of inactivity.
At UFC 319 in Chicago final weekend, Chimaev lastly put all the items collectively in his recreation and even confirmed off five-round championship cardio in a dominant shutout victory of Dricus du Plessis to seize the UFC middleweight championship.
Chimaev’s takedowns and high management weren’t simply on level, he left a fellow pound-for-pound performer, who was unbeaten in 9 UFC fights, unable to search out any solutions as du Plessis was routinely positioned in a crucifix and uncovered for simply how missing he was in having the ability to make an adjustment.
Did Chimaev use every part in his powers to continually search a end? No. So, does that imply his on-line critics are justified for calling him boring and something however entertaining? Effectively, that does not totally clarify it, both.
In some methods, it felt just like the 31-year-old Chimaev, who has 12 stoppages in 15 professional wins, was merely seeking to ship a message to the remainder of the division that one of these humiliating loss was obtainable to anybody whose floor recreation is not as much as snuff. It felt considerably related however completely different to Chimaev’s breakthrough 2022 win over Gilbert Burns when he threw warning to the wind and brawled for 3 rounds to indicate the world he is additionally simply as able to profitable an all-action battle.
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The extent of leisure that Chimaev will deliver to his future fights will possible be dictated by the takedown protection and grappling abilities of his opponents, which is why the longer term seems promising in an overloaded 185-pound title image that contenders like Reinder de Ridder and Alexander “Fluffy” Hernandez may need the pre-requisite abilities to deliver out one other aspect of the brand new champion.
Watching Chimaev have his means with such an completed champion was thrilling sufficient by itself from the standpoint of technical dominance. He by no means pale or visibly gassed out regardless of scoring 12 takedowns over 5 rounds whereas holding high place on the bottom for 21 of the battle’s 25 minutes. He additionally survived a quick rally from DDP within the closing minute after referee Marc Goddard twice stood the fighters up for perceived inactivity, which proved to be a extremely polarizing resolution.
Chimaev’s first title protection might additionally doubtlessly come towards the winner of a September principal occasion between high contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho. However no matter who it’s, Chimaev’s villainous demeanor has gone a good distance in making him one of many promotion’s largest rising stars, as evidenced by the reactions from the Chicago crowd all through battle week (though he was booed for parts of title win by these in attendance wishing for extra sustained motion).
The truth that Chimaev talked throughout battle week about his need to turn into a three-division champion in UFC can be fascinating to ponder, though he won’t get the possibility anytime quickly on condition that he now reigns above one of many deepest backlogs of obtainable title contenders within the sport.
Males’s pound-for-pound rankings
1. Ilia Topuria — Light-weight champion
File: 18-0 | Earlier rating: No. 1
Topuria took a large step ahead in changing into the brand new face of the promotion by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June to seize the vacant light-weight title. The primary unbeaten, two-division champion in UFC historical past simply may need probably the most technical and explosive boxing abilities the Octagon has ever seen. Topuria seems on his means towards changing into the most important MMA star since Conor McGregor.
2. Islam Makhachev — Welterweight
File: 27-1 | Earlier rating: No. 2
Makhachev selected to vacate his 155-pound title regardless of the presence of former featherweight king Ilia Topuria transferring as much as his division. At 33, Makhachev is wanting so as to add to his more and more legendary résumé by competing for a title in a second weight class. He is anticipated to problem new welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena this fall with a shot at equaling Anderson Silva’s UFC file of 16 consecutive wins.
3. Merab Dvalishvili — Bantamweight champion
File: 20-4 | Earlier rating: 3
It is scary to consider however, at age 34, “The Machine” solely continues to get higher as his 135-pound title reign continues. 5 months after he outpointed unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov regardless of an injured again, Dvalishvili submitted former champion Sean O’Malley of their June rematch at UFC 316. With cardio for days and improved placing, Dvalishvili is slowly changing into a whole fighter. He returns in October at UFC 320 towards high contender Cory Sandhagen.
4. Khamzat Chimaev — Middleweight champions
File: 15-0 | Earlier rating: No. 10
Regardless of years of inactivity on account of damage, sickness and dangerous luck, Chimaev proved at UFC 319 in August simply how harmful he actually is when totally wholesome. He additionally shut up any critics questioning if he possessed five-round cardio by totally dominating Dricus du Plessis on the bottom in a shutout resolution. Whereas many followers referred to the gameplan that Chimaev executed towards DDP as boring, the efficiency despatched a stern message to the remainder of the pack at 185 kilos that Chimaev is able to start a brand new period.
5. Alexandre Pantoja — Flyweight champion
File: 31-5 | Earlier rating: No. 4
Growing old like a fantastic wine, the 35-year-old native of Brazil recorded his fourth title protection with a submission of Kai Kara-France at UFC 317 in June. The victory moved Pantoja into first place for many victories, finishes and submissions in flyweight historical past. A showdown towards red-hot contender Joshua Van is subsequent as Pantoja continues so as to add on to his legacy throughout this late profession renaissance.
6. Alexander Volkanovski — Featherweight champion
File: 27-4 | Earlier rating: 7
A 14-month layoff did the 36-year-old Volkanovski good as he rebounded from a pair of knockout losses to the 2 finest fighters on the planet by brilliantly outpointing Diego Lopes to seize the vacant 145-pound title at UFC 314 in April. Now a two-time champion, Volkanovski proved, even this late in his profession, that abilities, IQ and timing can nonetheless defeat youth and energy. A title protection towards unbeaten Lerone Murphy seems to be subsequent in December.
7. Magomed Ankalaev — Gentle heavyweight champion
File: 20-1-1, 1 NC | Earlier rating: 7
The native of Dagestan, Russia, lastly acquired his shot at Alex Pereira’s 205-pound title at UFC 313 in March and Ankalev delivered a robust and technical efficiency to take the title. He additionally prolonged his unbeaten streak to a powerful 14 fights. Although Ankalaev went 0-for-12 on takedown makes an attempt towards Pereira, he confirmed a well-rounded recreation by pressuring his opponent and touchdown the cleaner strikes with out making an important mistake. A right away rematch is about for UFC 320 in October.
8. Alex Pereira — Gentle heavyweight
File: 12-3 | Earlier rating: No. 9
The 37-year-old Brazilian slugger lastly welcomed the well-rounded recreation and grappling risk of high contender Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March. The outcome introduced an finish to Pereira’s historic run as 205-pound champion, which included three title defenses in a UFC file of simply 176 days in 2024. Pereira will get a second likelihood when the 2 conflict in an October rematch at UFC 320.
9. Jack Della Maddalena — Welterweight champion
File: 24-4, 1 NC | Earlier rating: 10
Regardless of a 14-month layoff and shut victories in his earlier three fights, the Australian slugger turned the category of the 170-pound division along with his hard-fought resolution win over Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in Could. Della Maddalena confirmed elite boxing and footwork but it was his takedown protection which performed the most important position in JDM conquering such a deep division. His first title protection might come towards Makhachev later this yr.
10. Dricus du Plessis — Middleweight
File: 22-3 | Earlier rating: 5
As spectacular as du Plessis’ first 9 journeys to the Octagon actually have been, he proved shortly out of solutions in yielding his middleweight title to unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August. DDP merely had nothing for Chimaev on the bottom and regarded like a novice regardless of exhibiting toughness and a willingness to maintain preventing. A late rally within the closing seconds, aided by two referee standups, wasn’t sufficient to save lots of face in a one-sided dismantling.
Dropped out: None
Simply missed: Tom Aspinall, Umar Nurmagomedov, Shavkat Rakhkmonov, Lerone Murphy, Reinier de Ridder
Ladies’s pound-for-pound rankings
1. Valentina Shevchenko — Flyweight champion
File: 24-4-1 | Earlier rating: No. 1
The longer term Corridor of Famer solely continued to cement her legacy even additional at UFC 315 in Could when she outpointed the red-hot Manon Fiorot over 5 rounds. The 37-year-old Shevchenko, who improved her UFC file for title wins by a feminine with 10, additionally achieved her eighth title protection by making the championship changes when it mattered most. A superfight towards strawweight queen Zhang Weili could possibly be on faucet to shut 2025.
2. Zhang Weili — Strawweight champion
File: 25-3 | Earlier rating: No. 2
Zhang improved to 10-0 within the UFC towards everybody not named Rose Namajunas when she dominated unbeaten Tatiana Suarez over 5 rounds at UFC 312 in February. At 35, Zhang solely continues to spherical out her recreation whereas teasing aspirations of transferring as much as 125 kilos and trying to turn into a two-division champion. Might a superfight towards Valentina Shevchenko be in her future?
3. Kayla Harrison — Bantamweight champion
File: 19-1 | Earlier rating: 3
Regardless of enduring an insane lower to make championship weight of 135 kilos, Harrison dominated two-time champion Juianna Pena at UFC 316 in June to seize the ladies’s bantamweight title. A showdown towards former champion (and former teammate) Amanda Nunes seems to be subsequent as MMA’s feminine G.O.A.T. returns to the game at age 37. Both means, Harrison’s inspirational story of persevering supplied a real feel-good second.
4. Manon Fiorot — Flyweight
File: 12-2 | Earlier rating: 4
The 35-year-old native of France snapped a powerful 7-0 begin to her UFC profession by arising simply quick in an in depth resolution loss to champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 315 in June. Fiorot rebounded from a disastrous first spherical wherein her nostril was battered to depend on her measurement and clinch work towards Shevchenko in an in depth chess match that felt prefer it might’ve been scored both means.
5. Natalia Silva — Flyweight
File: 19-5-1 | Earlier rating: 5
Unbeaten in seven journeys to the Octagon, Silva earned a call in Could at UFC 315 towards former champion Alexa Grasso to place the 28-year-old native of Brazil in place for a doable title shot. The dynamic striker has received 13 fights in a row general since a 2017 loss on the regional scene to Marina Rodriguez and stays a troublesome check for any flyweight given her velocity, feints and correct strikes.
Dropped out: None
Simply missed: Virna Jandiroba, Erin Blanchfield, Julianna Pena, Alexa Grasso, Tatiana Suarez
