Khamzat Chimaev has proven himself to be fearless, so much so that he is not even afraid of sharks. The undefeated Chechen fighter recently appeared in a social media video, where his unique recovery method after intense training sparked chatter among fans. So, what happened? 

Well, Chimaev’s long-time training partner Tamerlan Susurkaev recently shared a video on Instagram, featuring the UFC middleweight champion. In the video, the 31-year-old can be seen jumping into what is being said to be a “sea” after a training session. 

“Khamzat Chimaev takes a dive into the sea to recover and reset💪,” Red Corner MMA wrote on X, sharing Susurkaev’s clip. 

Chimaev, of course, has been training for his upcoming fight against former middleweight champion Sean Strickland. The pair will collide on May 9, headlining the UFC 328 card at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, for Chimaev’s first title defense. He won the title back in August last year after he defeated Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319.  

Athletes are known for taking cold plunges after training for recovery. It’s known to reduce muscle soreness, inflammation, and fatigue, so they can bounce back faster for the next session. And as it turns out, Chimaev’s decision to jump into the sea is also very common. Doing it in the sea outdoors adds a mental refresh as opposed to a confined space. 

In any case, when fans discovered the video, it quickly sparked a frenzy.

Even sharks are afraid of Khamzat Chimaev 

The video quickly gained traction, and this fan joked that Chimaev scared away the sharks in the area. “All sharks escaped at the moment he jumped,” the user joked. While the user meant it as a joke, in reality, sharks don’t want anything to do with people, despite what Hollywood may have led some to believe. 

The sarcasm continued with the next comment as well. The user posed: “I just saw a shark behind him 😭.” Despite what movies depict, shark attacks on humans are extremely low. Even when it does happen, it’s often a case of mistaken identity.

But the jokes didn’t stop. “The moment he jumped into the sea, even the sharks ran away from him ☺️ The champ is enjoying his time,” wrote another. No, there were no sharks behind Chimaev. 

While others enjoyed the clip, this user wasn’t a fan. “You don’t have to post every time he takes a piss,” the user wrote. Chimaev’s popularity among the people often brings lots of views and clicks, so anything about his life quickly makes it on social media. 

Meanwhile, this user had a request for Khamzat Chimaev. “Chimaev pls hold him in a chokehold even after he taps, that would make me happy,” one user urged. Clearly, the comment is directed towards Sean Strickland. 

Khamzat Chimaev may have intended to recover from his training. But fans appear to have turned into a comedy session. What did you think about the clip? Did you see any sharks?