Khamzat Chimaev, being a force of nature, isn’t a secret among UFC fans. ‘Borz’ is known for ragdolling opponents on the ground with his impeccable wrestling prowess. To prove just how threatening that is, former two-division champ Daniel Cormier was left stunned when Chimaev lifted him with ease ahead of his middleweight championship bout against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319.

Russian MMA content creator Adam Zubairayev has been documenting Chimaev’s interactions ahead of his first championship fight. He also captured footage of a very respectful and funny moment with Daniel Cormier, where ‘Borz’ lifted ‘DC’, a natural heavyweight, without any problem. Cormier looked completely surprised by the Chechnya native’s strength and said in the video, “Holy s—! What the f— was that! That’s the first time I’ve let somebody pick me up like that. What was that? God damn boy, you feel strong.”

For a former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, a middleweight picking him up so much less effort might have felt a bit embarrassing. So, he made a big decision! Cormier got back in the gym to match the strength of the middleweight title challenger. ‘DC’ took to Instagram, posting a picture of himself training with the caption, “After the way Khamzat lifted me, I figured I needed to lift more! 😉” 

That serves as a testament to just how strong Khamzat Chimaev might be. The undefeated 14-0 phenom has also been seen lifting copious amounts of weight during training sessions. Surrounded by a team of experts, he’s maintained his lean yet massive frame while continuing to build raw power. So yes, ‘DC’ would need some serious training before he could hang with ‘Borz.’

However, that’s not the only time someone has felt intimidated by Chimaev’s stature. Even middleweight champ Dricus du Plessis appeared surprised during a recent interaction with the challenger ahead of their UFC 319 clash. Now, the champ has finally decided to clear the air on that moment. 

Dricus du Plessis shuts down claims of Khamzat Chimaev outsizing him  

Du Plessis often gets regarded as one of the bigger middleweights in the UFC, cutting a considerable amount of weight to make the 185 lbs limit. However, the UFC recently posted footage showing both UFC 319 headliners sharing a respectful interaction despite the bad blood between them. In the clip, many pointed out that ‘Borz’ appeared to outsized ‘Stillknocks’ by a noticeable margin. While some see that as another reason to pick Chimaev ahead of the anticipated title fight, Du Plessis tells a different story.

The reigning middleweight champion told sports YouTuber Helen Yee in a recent video, “I mean, maybe it was the angle. I haven’t seen the video, but I can promise you—you’ll see, you’ll see. I stood in front of him. He is definitely not taller than me. Maybe a little; maybe like half an inch. Yeah, you’ll see.”

Du Plessis then turned it up a notch, insisting that Chimaev’s size won’t matter when they meet inside the Octagon on August 16, while maintaining that the title challenger isn’t bigger than him. He added, “And the other thing, I don’t give a s— how big he is. That’s not what wins fights. But yeah, I saw him, he is definitely not bigger than me.”

Soon, Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev will face off before trading blows inside the Octagon. Whether the South African’s camp is truly prepared to deal with the relentless pressure of the undefeated phenom, combined with his imposing size, remains a matter of intrigue among fans.

That said, do you think Chimaev towers over other middleweights and even light heavyweights in the UFC? Share your thoughts below.