Perhaps Dana White was right. Fighters make some money and then lose their hunger for competition. Back in June 2022, ahead of UFC 275, White told ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, “Who was hungrier than Khamzat Chimaev? He wanted to fight every weekend. He wanted the 185 lbs belt, the 205 lbs belt, and the 170 lbs belt. And then you start making some money, and all that stuff slows down.” Fast-forward three and a half years, and Chimaev has the middleweight belt crossed off his checklist. But he has also proven Dana White right in his criticism.

Khamzat Chimaev may not be fighting as often as fans expected or hoped, but his bank account tells a different story. The undefeated middleweight champion exploded into the UFC in 2020 with three wins in just 66 days and set the modern record for the fastest winning streak in the promotion. But ‘Borz’ now competes far less frequently, only fighting once a year since 2023.

According to Chimaev, though, that slowdown hasn’t hurt him financially. If anything, it’s done the opposite. The 31-year-old is set to defend his title against Sean Strickland at UFC 328, and while critics still question his activity, Chimaev has made it clear he isn’t chasing volume anymore. He’s chasing value. And that value, as he revealed, isn’t coming primarily from the Octagon.

“Yeah… I make more money out of the UFC because of who I became,” Chimaev said in an interview with Beyond the Win. “Khamzat Chimaev, wherever I go and they people know, like they want to sponsor, they want to do different things with me, and all business and this.”

That statement lines up with the numbers. His reported payout for the Dricus du Plessis fight at UFC 319 was around $2.6 million, as per figures provided by BetMGM.

But sponsorships, appearances, and business deals are now pushing his total earnings even higher. His current net worth is estimated at around $4 million, and that’s still growing. Chimaev went from working in a poultry factory in Sweden to becoming one of the UFC’s biggest international stars. He represents the UAE now, has a global fan base, and has built a brand that extends well beyond fight nights. That kind of visibility translates directly into money outside the cage.

But the second part of his message is just as important because for Khamzat Chimaev, the money isn’t only about lifestyle.

“For myself, for my family, it’s long time enough. But like I said, I’m not just fighting for myself. And people think like, I love money. Yeah, of course, I love money, but money gives a lot of opportunity to help people,” the champion further shared. “I built a gym in my village.

“It’s like…600, 700 thousand dollars or something like that. Small stuff in my village, around the people who are calling me, like somebody sick, I can help. Those things matter to me, and in the world all the time happens, bad stuff, you know, so you can be included in this and helping somebody out. So I’m happy to make money to make people happy.”

Whether that figure he shared reflects a single investment or multiple efforts, it shows how seriously he takes that responsibility. This also explains why criticism about inactivity doesn’t seem to affect the Chechen warrior. From his perspective, he’s already achieved financial security, built a platform, and is using it in ways that go beyond fighting.

At the same time, the competitive side isn’t gone. His upcoming title defense against Sean Strickland is one of the most anticipated fights of the year. Stylistically, it’s a clash between relentless wrestling and pressure-heavy striking, but according to Colby Covington, the outcome is inevitable.

Colby Covington predicts Sean Strickland has no chance against Khamzat Chimaev

Colby Covington isn’t buying into the idea of this ending up being a close fight. He sees a gap, and for him, it starts with grappling. Speaking to Submission Radio, ‘Chaos’ laid out his prediction for how the clash between Chimaev and Strickland would play out.

“No, I’m not giving him a chance,” Covington said. “(Anthony) Hernandez and Khamzat are completely different levels of grapplers and the way they approach their strategies. So, I think Khamzat’s going to take him down and submit him. Schmo went and watched them spar back at Xtreme Couture a couple of years ago, and he pretty much said it wasn’t competitive.”

Covington believes Chimaev will stick to a grappling-heavy approach, avoiding striking exchanges and repeatedly taking Strickland down. He expects Chimaev to control the fight, put the American fighter in bad positions, and either secure a submission or dominate him on the ground for the full five rounds. In his title-winning performance against Dricus Du Plessis, Khamzat Chimaev landed 12 takedowns and controlled for over 21 minutes of the fight.

But this is where the debate opens up. Sean Strickland’s durability and defensive awareness have held up against elite strikers, including in his win over Israel Adesanya. The question is whether that translates against someone who might choose not to strike at all.

So the real question is simple. Can Strickland keep this fight standing long enough to make it competitive, or does ‘Borz’turn it into another grappling showcase? Because while Khamzat Chimaev’s financial future might be secure, his competitive reputation is still being written in real time.