You know a division is interesting when you’re not sure who should fight for the title next. That’s the state of the middleweight division right now, in the post-Adesanya era. Nassourdine Imavov made a strong case for himself earlier this month, delivering a brutal knockout against former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia inside the ANB Arena. “I cleaned the weight class in one year—four fights, two wins against top-10 competition, two finishes against top-5 competition. Next is the belt.” Quite a strong case. Then there’s the perennial Khamzat Chimaev, lurking in the shadows like a lone wolf, with an American and a South African in his crosshairs.

Amid all this, the middleweight title will be up for grabs this weekend on February 9, as reigning champion Dricus du Plessis defends his belt against Sean Strickland in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC’s first event of the year in Australia, taking place inside Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. While Imavov is well aware of the championship bout, he has made it clear that he expects to be next in line once a winner is crowned, “For now, the belt is not in his hands, it’s not in my hands. It’s either going to be Dricus or Strickland, but we both deserve to fight for the belt, so we’ll see what happens,“ Imavov stated.

However, Strickland’s coach at Xtreme Couture, Eric Nicksick, sees things differently. Despite the ongoing rivalry between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev, he firmly believes Chimaev is the rightful choice for the next title shot. During an appearance on Submission Radio, Nicksick was asked whether Nassourdine Imavov or Chimaev deserved the opportunity. Without hesitation, he backed ‘Borz,’ stating, “Khamzat deserves it. I think he’s the boogeyman in the division. Like, he’s the guy that, like, oh, dude, this is going to be a tough matchup—a tough game plan. And he’s earned that right.”

When the coach of your now-enemy makes such a strong statement about you, you know you’re special. And we know Khamzat Chimaev knows he’s special, being undefeated at 14-0-0. Dismantling Robert Whittaker the way he did is no small feat. So, we won’t really be surprised if the company big-ups put him next in line for the title, whoever is champion by the end of UFC 312, considering UFC head honcho Dana White has confirmed that Chimaev “is in line.” Moreover, White has a particular location in mind for his next fight. So, where does Dana White want ‘Borz’ to compete next? Let’s take a closer look.

Which country does Dana White want to see Khamzat Chimaev reign as division king?

UFC boss Dana White has high hopes for Khamzat Chimaev’s future, stating last year on The Jim Rome Show, “This guy’s never looked better, especially against the competition he’s faced. I’m looking forward to him getting a title fight in 2025. We’ll see how this plays out, but I want him to fight in the United States. I want him to fight for a title here in the U.S.” ‘Borz’ hasn’t fought in the U.S. since his dominant submission win over Kevin Holland in 2022 due to visa complications.

Why the complications? His Russian passport, owing to the ongoing Ukraine conflict? Well, Alexander Volkov who trains out of Moscow, Russia, fought at UFC 310 in Las Vegas last December. It likely isn’t Khamzat Chimaev’s passport, but rather his close ties to Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov. Ever since ‘Borz’ broke into the scene (and Khabib’s relationship soured with Kadyrov), Kadyrov has latched onto the Chechen wolf to boost his image. And that has likely not sit well with the US. But all that could soon change.

Just a week ago, Khamzat Chimaev proudly announced his official UAE citizenship, sharing his excitement on Instagram, “It is my honor and privilege to be able to represent this beautiful nation both as an athlete and a citizen. I would like to thank the UAE for its support, and I will do my best to make this country proud.” Moreover, President Donald Trump is a fan of Chimaev and could very well grant him into the US, potentially paving the way for the Chechen fighter’s middleweight title shot.

What do you make of Eric Nicksick’s stance? Who should get the next middleweight title shot—Nassourdine Imavov or Khamzat Chimaev? With Imavov ready to go, does his availability give him the edge over Chimaev? Share your thoughts below!