UFC’s Middleweight Division Experiencing a Dilemma Over Its Current Champion

Written by: Xavier Serrano 🇵🇷

Khamzat Chimaev sits ringside in his Instagram profile picture (Instagram)

Khamzat "Borz" Chimaev, the current middleweight champion, ignites the mixed martial arts community with a cryptic tweet posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Feb. 20. He received backlash from the current 185-pound-division, and from UFC President Dana White.

Borz will not defend the belt for six months after drowning former Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in wrestling for five rounds at UFC 319. Chimaev has received backlash for his unorthodox fighting schedule, often criticized for his health complications. As a result, his tweet reading “205” seemed comical. 

He also faced backlash from former middleweight title holder Sean Strickland this past Saturday during a post-fight interview following his win over Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez. 

”You wanna talk about a clown, he fought once in the middleweight division, and now you’re moving up to fight an easier fight.” Strickland said. “And that’s what he’s doing; he’s moving up to fight an easier fight.” 

In response to Chimaev’s tweet, White did not mince his words as he fired shots at the current champion’s decision making. 

“I’d like to see him defend his title before he talks about jumping around from –you know, you’re gonna keep going up in weight divisions without defending? Yeah, I'd rather see him defend,” White said.

The boss halted the future plans of Chimaev, giving fans hope for the stagnant middleweight division. 

Following Chimaev’s victory, he has not defended the title. Meanwhile, surging contenders are having a generational takeover. Familiar faces such as Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira have either moved up in weight or are being looked at as prey by younger fighters.

Nassourdine Imovov is ranked as No. 2 in the middleweight division and is next in line for the middleweight title with a five-fight winning streak, including a win over former champion Israel Adesanya. 

The late 2023 signee Michael “Venom” Page impressed fans with his 3-1 UFC record, defeating respected competition Jared Cannonier and Kevin Holland. 

Page expressed frustrations with the UFC after being given a fight against unranked Sam Patterson in March for UFC London, the matchmaking decision are unclear, but it leaves fans to wonder about the other talents experiencing the same dilemma. 

The middleweight division has many sleeper matchups that could materialize in 2026. 

At the moment, the current lineup for the middleweight headliner is Adesanya vs. Pyfer on March 28, at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. No other main events have been made to propel the division.

The future of the division remains unclear as we may see a title change before the end of year, as Chimaev remains inactive. The stagnation could result in Chimaev being stripped from his championship title, allowing Imavov and Strickland to fight for the vacant title.

Chimaev expressed his plan to return to the UFC after Ramadan, which will end around March 19, 2026.

Until then, the melting pot of talent waits to see which way the current moves as middleweight bouts are still being constructed.