Does Chimaev Deserve The Pereira Fight?

A rivalry has been reignited, as middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has challenged light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira to a fight at the UFC White House card.

The challenge follows a dominant period for both champions. Chimaev captured the 185-pound title last August at UFC 319, where he delivered a wrestling masterclass against Dricus du Plessis, winning every round and landing a UFC-record 529 strikes. Meanwhile, Pereira reclaimed his 205-pound belt in October 2025 at UFC 320, needing just one round to stop Magomed Ankalaev in their rematch.

The proposed stage for this fight is the UFC White House card scheduled for June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn. Chimaev has made it clear he intends to move up to 205 pounds for this outing, potentially vacating his middleweight belt to pursue “double champ” status rather than defending his title.

Despite Chimaev’s enthusiasm, the matchup faces significant hurdles. While Pereira previously challenged Chimaev to a charity grappling match, he has cast doubt on his participation in the June event, recently stating, “Looks like the White House is a NO GO!!!”

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Additionally, Pereira’s team has publicly dismissed the Chimaev fight as “making no sense,” stating their preference for a heavyweight legacy fight against Jon Jones. The UFC is expected to begin finalized matchmaking for the June event in February, but Chimaev’s preference is clear. And yet, not everyone is on board with this bout.

“Let’s go White House. Don’t worry, I will finish you fast [Alex]. All Brazilian fans tell this boy if you’re not scared tell him to fight,” Chimaev said

“It’s embarrassing. He’s [Khamzat Chimaev’s] making a mockery of the sport. You should defend your title a couple times before you even consider moving weight classes. You’ve already moved weight classes. You cost the company a ton of money by pulling out of that fight last minute against the soy boy Nate Diaz you were supposed to be on. He’s went up to 185, he’s won the title, but he hasn’t defended it yet,” Colby Covington stated