Once hailed as the next big thing, Khamzat Chimaev finds himself in unfamiliar territory. From breaking the record for the quickest turnaround between wins in the promotion at just 10 days between his debut and his second fight, his rise through the UFC ranks was fast and frightening.

The undefeated Chechen phenom is now set to face reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319. But ahead of his biggest challenge yet, something feels different. According to a familiar voice in the MMA world, the hype around ‘Borz’ isn’t what it once was!

Speaking on a recent video on his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen began by simply stating, “The division is turning on Chimaev, and the media is turning on Chimaev. And according to my own partners at DraftKings, you, the fans, the bettors, are turning on Chimaev.”

Let’s pause here for a second. According to odds available on the official DraftKings website, Khamzat Chimaev is listed as a -198 favorite over the champion, Du Plessis, who is touted as a +164 underdog. While the numbers may seem close, it’s a far cry from Borz’s earlier days of running through the welterweight and middleweight divisions as an unstoppable juggernaut.

As such, Sonnen continued, “And I don’t know where that’s coming from. Khamzat Chimaev has been the boogie monster of two divisions from the day that he got here. The media has never loved anybody more than Chimaev. Now, they love two people equal, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor, but the three of them were media darlings like our sport has never seen.”

For Chimaev, who once flew to Ireland hoping to “beat up” McGregor during the Irishman’s feud with Khabib Nurmagomedov, it must feel strange not to be even mentioned among the scariest names in his division. After all, in his last fight, the Chechen warrior wrecked former champion Robert Whittaker’s jaw with a brutal face crank, and climbed into title contention without ever truly being tested for five rounds.

Yet now, as he gears up for his clash against ‘Stillknocks’, the noise seems quieter than ever. However, it might just be the setup Khamzat Chimaev needs. Less media means less pressure. Less hype could fuel more hunger, but as Sonnen indicated, ‘Borz’ may have lost the X-factor that made him stand out. And according to a former champion, there’s one more critical weapon Chimaev needs to fix before UFC 319!

Khamzat Chimaev warned about “getting tired” against Dricus Du Plessis in their championship bout

Former bantamweight king TJ Dillashaw didn’t hold back when assessing Khamzat Chimaev’s chances against Dricus Du Plessis. Speaking on the JAXXON podcast, Dillashaw pinpointed one flaw in Chimaev’s armor: his cardio.

According to him, “Chimaev needs to get on that Sam Calavitta cardio because that’s his only downfall is getting tired. DDP ain’t going to get tired. He needs to work on topping red line stuff. He goes for the kill, and you can only do that for so long. You have to train that section.”

It’s a concern we’ve seen glimpses of before. Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman both tested Chimaev in longer fights, pushing him into deep waters. While ‘Borz’ still won on the judges’ scorecards, those late rounds told a different story. And now, he’s going five rounds against a man known for thriving late.

So what’s the solution? Dillashaw further explained, “The only way to make that better is to be in that red zone for as long as possible, and train to be there longer and also get used to it mentally.”

The logic is clear: if you’re not suffering in training, you won’t survive championship rounds. Ultimately, Khamzat Chimaev may still be undefeated, but invincibility isn’t the narrative anymore. As Chael Sonnen and TJ Dillashaw pointed out, the real test now lies in Chimaev’s endurance, mindset, and ability to evolve. Can ‘Borz’ rise above the noise or lack of it and prove he’s more than just hype at UFC 319? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!