Chimaev Sends Public Message to White

Khamzat Chimaev has sent a public message to Dana White, making clear he wants to fight — and soon.

"What are we waiting for? I want to fight," Chimaev

Chimaev has competed just twice in the last 22 months, a stretch of inactivity that sits uneasily with his reputation as one of the most aggressive and entertaining fighters on the roster. He won the UFC middleweight title in August 2025, dominating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in Chicago. He did not return until May 2026, when he put the belt on the line against Sean Strickland and lost.

Immediately after the loss, Chimaev told White he wanted to move up to light heavyweight. He later reversed course, making the Strickland rematch and the recovery of his middleweight title his stated priority. The problem is that Strickland is not expected to be ready until the end of the year, having suffered a shoulder injury at UFC 328, leaving Chimaev in a holding pattern he has clearly grown tired of.

White said he had not seen Chimaev's message before being asked about it, but did not close the door on the former champion featuring on the upcoming Abu Dhabi card at UFC 333 on October 24th — a card currently headlined by Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev, with Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili meeting for a third time at bantamweight.

"He's always in conversations. The whole roster is. In a perfect world, everybody fights three times a year,” White

Whether Chimaev lands on the Abu Dhabi card or continues to wait for Strickland, one thing is clear — he is done sitting on the sidelines.