It’s been 9 months and 19 days since Khamzat Chimaev last stepped into the Octagon. At UFC 308, he dismantled Robert Whittaker, locking in a face crank at 3:34 of the bout to claim a submission victory—his 14th straight MMA win—and cement his place among the UFC’s elite. Now, the Chechnya-born powerhouse is on the brink of the biggest fight of his career. 

A shot at the UFC middleweight title. Standing in his way is the reigning champion, Dricus du Plessis. The two will square off on August 16 at UFC 319, inside Chicago’s United Center. With fight night fast approaching, the rivals met the press just hours ago for their media day. It was there that a reporter hit ‘Borz’ with a pointed question about the gym he’s building in his hometown of Gvardeyskoye, Chechnya.

“MMA is [a] scary sport, you know…,” Khamzat Chimaev told the American audience when asked why he was against installing a cage in the gym. “I don’t think this MMA can be good for the kids because we’re punching in the face, we’re broken, and also grappling, kickboxing, boxing, all the sports in one sport, you know.” The 31-year-old acknowledged that MMA is an amazing sport, but he warned it’s not for children. 

“I think it should be at least 15 years to train in different sports. Boxing or judo or wrestling, grappling, there are a lot of different sports for the young boys,” he added during the media day. He deliberately chose not to include an MMA cage, prioritizing wrestling to build a strong foundation for young athletes before they pursue other combat sports. Chimaev’s gym focuses on providing a safe space for local children to train, stay off the streets, and develop discipline through wrestling.

Chimaev has emphasized that the gym is not for his personal use but for the youth, aiming to foster mental and physical strength. His gym is part of a larger compound that includes houses for himself, his mother, and his brother. He has expressed a desire to inspire the next generation, hoping the gym will produce future champions and help kids lead better lives. However, Chimaev isn’t the only one who has opened a gym.

Khabib Nurmagomedov opened a new $5 million facility

The longest-reigning UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, has officially opened a new $5 million MMA facility in his hometown of Sildi, Dagestan. The Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov MMA School, which was previously located in Makhachkala, now has a new home—a small mountain village of roughly 500 people. 

“Flew to America, took part in the biggest confrontation in the history of martial arts,” Khabib said on Instagram. “Beat up someone I didn’t like, and they even paid me for it. Upon arrival home, I invested it in this beautiful corner of Dagestan… I will not recoup these investments in my life, and I do not have a goal to do so. My goal was different.”

Sitting over 6,000 feet above sea level, the remote camp offers high-altitude training. Not to mention, it has already played host to Islam Makhachev’s preparation for UFC 311. With the relentless approach to training, this facility could help Team Khabib stay ahead of the others. 

That being said, both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev have achieved success in the UFC and used that success to improve the lives of people around them. Whether these gyms produce future champions is yet to be seen, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction. What are your thoughts on the matter?