Khamzat Chimaev gives update on UFC return date with fans set to be disappointed

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Chimaev is one of MMA’s most-frightening talents but has long struggled for activity

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Khamzat Chimaev has provided an update on his return to the UFC Octagon, with fans set to be disappointed.

Chimaev is one of MMA’s most-frightening talents but has long struggled for activity, and his new status as middleweight champion does not look likely to change that.

The unbeaten Russian, 31, dominated Dricus Du Plessis to take the middleweight belt with a decision win in August, but he does not expect to compete again until next April at the earliest.

“I have a small operation on my foot,” Chimaev told Adam Zubayraev before UFC Qatar on Saturday.

“I’ll step away from training for a couple of weeks, heal my wound.

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“So, we’ll prepare after Ramadan. Whoever they give me, I’ll face.”

Ramadan is set to begin on 17 February in 2026 and end on 18 March, meaning Chimaev is unlikely to be at full fitness until April or later.

Before his win over Du Plessis, Chimaev’s previous three contests took place in October 2024, October 2023, and September 2022.

The September 2022 outing capped off a relatively-active phase for the “Wolf”, who also notched wins in April 2022 and October 2021.

Yet nothing has compared to his explosion into the UFC, as Chimaev secured two stoppage victories in July 2020 and one in September of that year.

Chimaev’s first challenger as middleweight champion is expected to be Nassourdine Imavov, who is riding a five-fight win streak.

Chimaev was in Qatar to support his teammate Arman Tsarukyan, who dominated Dan Hooker and stopped him in the second round of Saturday’s main event.

With that, the Armenian solidified his spot as No 1 contender at lightweight, as he awaits news of Ilia Topuria’s first challenger as 155lb champion.

Topuria was also at UFC Qatar, helping to coach his brother Aleksandre to victory in a bantamweight bout, as was Paddy Pimblett – another potential challenger to Ilia Topuria.

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