Khamzat Chimaev could have a huge weight cut ahead of him if his wish to move up is not granted.
The UFC middleweight champion remains without an official booking on the calendar, seven months on from his title crowning.
A couple of contenders have been leading the charge for the first shot at ‘Borz’, with both Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland staking their claim with wins since Chimaev dethroned Dricus du Plessis last August.
But regardless of who the number one contender is, a recent revelation has cast further doubt over the champ’s future in the division.
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Khamzat Chimaev told Michael Bisping he currently weighs 240lbs
Before the UFC announced Jiri Prochazka vs Carlos Ulberg for the vacant light heavyweight title, rumors surrounded the possibility of Chimaev fighting for the gold that Alex Pereira is relinquishing.
That ultimately has not come to fruition, but many fans remain unconvinced about the chances of the Chechen star fighting at middleweight again.
After an image of Chimaev’s physique fueled talk of another weight switch, Michael Bisping’s recent remarks have added to that speculation.
During TNT Sports’ UFC 326 Preview Show, the ex-champion claimed that Chimaev told him he currently weighs 240lbs, which is 55lbs above the limit he will need to hit to defend the middleweight title.
“We don’t even know what Khamzat Chimaev is doing right now,” Bisping said.
“I spoke to him last week; the man’s walking around at 240lbs!
“He’s gotta shed some weight before he even thinks about defending that belt,” he added.
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What has Dana White said about Khamzat Chimaev moving up again?
Chimaev has made his desire to challenge for a second divisional title clear, but the UFC president does not appear to be on board.
Dana White reacted to Chimaev’s plan during his press conference after UFC Houston in February. The boss said he was against ‘Borz’ departing middleweight before making a defense of his title.
“I’d like to see him defend his title at a weight first…before he talks about jumping around,” White said.
“You’re gonna keep going up in weight divisions without defending? I’d rather see him defend.”
If White holds firm on that take and Hunter Campbell shares the same sentiment, Chimaev will need to rapidly drop the pounds to be back in middleweight shape.