Before Khamzat Chimaev finally got his title shot against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in a Chicago bout, the middleweight champion had been sidelined from the US fighting scene for over 3 years. The hiatus, however, was not due to injuries or his choice, but rather visa restrictions that sabotaged the fighter for years before the US President stepped up.

The biggest roadblock in Chimaev’s run to the top appeared to be visa restrictions allegedly linked with his associations with Ramzan Kadyrov, the political leader of Chechnya, blacklisted by the US. However, that issue seems to have vaporized out of the scene, thanks to longtime UFC fan and Dana White’s close personal friend, US President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump removed Khamzat Chimaev’s biggest obstacle

Since his last US appearance in 2022, ‘Borz’ finished camp in Los Angeles and arrived in Illinois for UFC 319 title fight. As he clinched the belt, he expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump, who helped him with VISA complications. Now, Chimaev is finally oiling his gears, preparing for his next anticipated fight, as he thanked Trump for making a full-time UFC career possible for him.

“We’ll be back soon in the US. Prepare for me… it feels like I hope I can fight finally not once a year—like three times a year,” Chimaev told ESPN MMA on YouTube. “No more problems with the visa and stuff. Donald Trump is here. Finally, business is going on.”

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While we know that Chimaev is cleared and authorized to train and accept fights in the US, what isn’t clear is the nature of the intervention the President had. Whether Trump personally pulled some strings to propel Chimaev’s visa status, or a change in administration or rules was facilitated, remains in the shadows.

With Chimaev now free to compete in the U.S., fans can expect the middleweight champion to fight more than once a year, a stark contrast to his recent, career-stifling schedule. That’ll help the Russian wrestler manage his training funds better as well, with more financial opportunities throughout the year.

“I was in the gym working every day, once a year, and then fight once a year and make money. It’s not a lot of money. I mean, I spend a lot of money with my team. That’s why it’s so hard for me [to just fight for once a year]. Now it’s full time,” explained Chimaev. Speaking of which, ‘Borz’ has mapped out his UFC roadmap for the coming years, and he’s already swinging in a new direction.

Khamzat Chimaev eyes Alex Pereira as he prepares for his UFC title defense

The Dagestani ace entered the Octagon in Chicago as the crowd erupted not into cheers, but boos on his wrestling-heavy, ‘bear-hugging’ style. Despite the initial backlash, Chimaev succeeded in turning the fight into one of the most lopsided bouts ever, with 529 strikes to Plessis’ 45 strikes, taking the UD win. Fresh off his division reign, Chimaev has laid out his follow-up plans.

While initially Chimaev expressed his willingness to vacate his belt for a title shot against LHW king Alex Pereira, he seems to have taken a step back since. Chimaev wants to run one single title defense in the middleweight division before he moves up for the double champion status.

“There is [Nassourdine] Imavov, there is [Sean] Strickland, there is [Anthony] Hernandez,” Chimaev listed. “All of them I see like, big check. Good money. A lot of options. But I wanna for sure, one more fight, I’m gonna go one more weight class up.”

Whether that fight will be against ‘Poatan’ or some other UFC star is left to time. However, in the near future, at the White House event, Chimaev doubts he’d get a shot in the thrilling night, massively due to the difference in ethnicities. While Dana White has cleared out the rumor that the White House event would be Americans vs the world, ‘Borz’ couldn’t resist commenting:

“Look at my face. I don’t think so,” Chimaev remarked. “I’m an athlete, a sportsman, all my life I’ve been training. Some people put me in a position like political sh-t and break my visa down, and I don’t know why,” he added, tossing digs at his past visa complications.

In any case, with Chimaev finally cleared to compete freely in the U.S., his next move could reshape the entire middleweight landscape. Who do you want to see him defend the belt against next?