When Khamzat Chimaev went for Dricus du Plessis’ middleweight title in August’s UFC 319 bout, not many were thrilled. It wasn’t that he did not entertain, but the Chechen is prone to injuries and sickness. However, he teased a turnaround for last month’s UFC 321 PPV in Abu Dhabi. Unfortunately, the healthy streak didn’t last long. Now, the reports have revealed what exactly happened.

“‼️ CHIMAEV OUT UNTIL APRIL ‼️ Khamzat Chimaev has revealed he requires a small operation on his foot. 🏥 This will rule out the UFC middleweight champion until after Ramadan (April). 📆,” MMA Orbit tweeted the news via Adam Zubayraev.

The pattern rings any alarms yet?

The Borz has an undefeated record to back his prowess in the MMA world. However, his inconsistent presence in the squared circle leads many to believe that he remains undefeated because he doesn’t fight as frequently as the other title holders do.

Let’s take the example of du Plessis. Between 2024 and 2025, he had a total of four title fights, including one against Chimaev. Every time, he proved he wasn’t running away with the title. In fact, from 2017 to 2018, he had three title defenses. In his 12-year career, he’s had nine title fights.

On the other hand, Chimaev has fought only fifteen times since 2018, with only one being a title bout. Except for his debut year, he’s never fought more than three fights in a year. Even after he made his entrance in UFC in 2020, he fought thrice but has had only one fight in the last couple of years. With this surgery, the same pattern will continue into the next year.

After numerous canceled fights due to COVID-19 health complications and visa troubles, Chimaev reunited with his former coach, Salim Selbievich, last year. He was instrumental in starting his wrestling career, and the Chechen Warrior believed he could return with proper recovery and rest, a move that many thought would keep him active without taking a break. In fact, Michael Bisping even backed him up.

“Khamzat Chimaev wants to be a champion. He wants to be the first Chechen champion, and he wants to defend the belt, and he wants to be active,” Bisping said before UFC 319. But now, the same dark clouds are hovering over Chimaev. And his absence poses a bigger problem for Dana White and the middleweight division.

The middleweight division is one of the promotion’s most active and popular weight classes. It has contenders such as Nassourdine Imavov, Anthony Hernandez, and Sean Strickland eagerly awaiting their opportunities for a title shot; that’s where Khamzat Chimaev’s prolonged absence puts the UFC in a difficult position. No wonder fans are already looking for a replacement to keep the division running.

Social media calls grow for UFC interim middleweight belt during Khamzat Chimaev’s absence

Despite citing an injury, Khamzat Chimaev is spending time this week with Arman Tsarukyan, who is set to fight Dan Hooker at the UFC Qatar event this weekend inside the ABHA Arena, marking the promotion’s debut in Qatar. Social media clips and pictures show Borz alongside Tsarukyan and his father.

These posts prompted a fan to comment, “Tsarukyan effect: anyone who comes in contact with the rat gets infected with inactive syndrome.”

The fan was referencing Tsarukyan’s earlier blunder this year, when, just two days before UFC 311, he pulled out of his title bout against Islam Makhachev due to an injury. The Armenian had not fought since then but is now ready to return after 19 months. The fan suggested that Tsarukyan’s habit of withdrawing from fights might be influencing Khamzat Chimaev.

Top Stories

France Delays G7 Summit to Avoid Clash With Dana White, Donald Trump’s UFC White House Event

Jon Jones Reveals Biggest Obstacle to Alex Pereira Superfight at the White House

Alexander Volkanovski Recruits ‘Brazilian Conor McGregor’ After Diego Lopes’ KO Threat

Alex Pereira Confirms Major Tracy Cortez Relationship Status Update After Viral Marriage Proposal Clip

Joe Rogan Urges Dana White to Drop Grudge With White House Main Event at Stake

To keep the division active, some called on UFC CEO Dana White to arrange an interim title fight, “Interim title fight it seems. Maybe between DDP VS. Imavov?” Another fan echoed the call, commenting, “Do an interim then.”

Fans also praised Dricus du Plessis’ short reign, highlighting that he fought continuously against opponents like Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland without any excuses. One fan wrote, “And people hated on DDP atleast the man was active.”

With his inactivity, Chimaev is now labeled as the once-a-year champ since, with this latest update, he would’ve fought only once in four years of his short UFC career, with three consecutive such years.

One fan predicted Khamzat Chimaev’s continued inactivity, commenting, “Everyone knew this shit would happen,” a sentiment echoed by many. Interestingly, he is not the only one catching strays; Ilia Topuria is also facing scrutiny. He claimed the lightweight title in June, yet with just 10 days left in December, he still has no confirmed fight. Topuria plans to fight at the White House event on June 14, 2026.

Now, Dana White and his team face another challenge, as their UFC heavyweight division has struggled with the same issue since 2023. Given these interruptions, do you think he can still fulfill his dream of becoming a three-division champion and retire at the top? Share your thoughts below.