Khamzat Chimaev managed to confuse the MMA world with a single video—a clean spinning back kick that appeared online just days after he stated he was about to have foot surgery. The timing alone sent fans into a frenzy. How can a supposedly injured champion go from saying, “I’ll be out until after Ramadan,” to seeming fight-ready in the now viral video?

Nobody could tell whether the footage was new, old, or somewhere in between. What mattered was the tension it created. A champion postponing his return, a viral kick suggesting otherwise, and a fanbase already on edge about the middleweight division—it was a formula for disaster. And once the reactions began, they did not slow down.

Fans are divided over Khamzat Chimaev’s spinning back kick practice session

The moment the video hit social media, the first wave of fans went straight for the contradiction. “Is his foot supposed to be broken and require surgery? “WTF is this?” One person wrote. Another asked, “Is he lying about the injury?” The disbelief quickly led to mockery—“Broken foot my ass, I thought he was injured 😭🤣😂,” and the blunt, “‘Foot surgery’ this fkn guy bruh.” The spinning kick did not leave them impressed; instead, it raised suspicions.

Then came the counterpunch. Fans defending Chimaev swiftly reminded everyone how the rehabilitation process works. “Being injured doesn’t mean complete rest,” one person noted. “Khamzat can do some training or wrestle a bit as part of his recovery.” Another pierced through the noise: “He’s not paralyzed, ffs; of course he can kick.”

And, of course, someone invoked Borz logic, claiming, “He can do a spinning kick with a broken foot because he’s Borz; he can smash anything anywhere, any time.” Injury or not, they believed Khamzat Chimaev truly operated under different rules. But if the grappler really masters the spinning move, what does it mean for the division? Well, fans surely were concerned about his future rivals.

“Do not let him master it; he is too dangerous,” one user warned. Another person described the nightmarish scenario: “If this mf learns some spinning s—, the whole division is cooked.” The final blow landed with absolute certainty: “If Khamzat starts these spinning kicks, we will see less grappling and quick knockouts.” Suddenly the conversation wasn’t about injury timelines, but about a champion who is truly evolving.

Meanwhile, Chimaev’s own update remains untouched. He still plans to get a little foot surgery, relax for a few weeks, and start training after Ramadan. “My return—after Ramadan,” he told Adam Zubayraev ahead of UFC Qatar. With the holy month lasting from mid-February to mid-March, a return any earlier was never likely.

Even before the viral video, it was made clear by the champion that he would not be competing in January or February. The surgery only reinforced what Ramadan already determined for many Muslim fighters: full preparation must wait. Khamzat Chimaev‘s first title defense is now expected to take place in April or later. But who will it be against? Well, ‘Borz’ did give fans a definite answer.

Chimaev names his next opponent after returning from surgery

Khamzat Chimaev has broken his silence on who gets him first. Instead of dangling options, he aimed directly at one name. His message on X was blunt and almost playful: “See you after Ramadan @imavov1. You have time to work on your wrestling, bratishka.” No buildup, no mystery. Just ‘Borz’ verifying what the division had been guessing already.

For months, the debate around Chimaev’s first title defense had stretched across every corner of the division. Brendan Allen just derailed Reinier de Ridder. Nassourdine Imavov put together a run but never received true confirmation. Even Jon Jones became an option for a heavyweight-middleweight crossover fight after the champion outperformed him in training.

Despite this, none of them had clarity—until now. Khamzat Chimaev’s post did what the rankings did not: it revealed exactly where the belt was headed. The message was clear. “Work on your wrestling” was not advice; it was a reminder of where ‘Borz’ plans to take him. Despite injuries, surgeries, Ramadan, and viral videos, none of it has slowed down how the champion thinks.