Chimaev’s reign begins: Four contenders eye middleweight gold

Newly crowned UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has wasted little time in sparking intrigue around his next opponent following his dominant title-winning performance over Dricus du Plessis on August 16 in Chicago.

The grappling-heavy star controlled the five-round contest with ease, marking the beginning of what could be a formidable reign.

With the belt now firmly around his waist, several contenders are positioning themselves for a chance at middleweight gold. Here is a look at the leading names in the title picture:

Nassourdine Imavov
The French contender enters the conversation on the back of a five-fight unbeaten streak, highlighted by a devastating knockout victory over former champion Israel Adesanya in February.

A well-rounded fighter with sharp kickboxing and solid wrestling, Imavov could strengthen his claim when he headlines UFC Paris on September 6 at Accor Arena against Brazil’s Caio Borralho.

A win would almost certainly establish him as the division’s top contender.

Caio Borralho
Borralho, a rising Brazilian star and member of the self-styled “Fighting Nerds,” remains undefeated in the UFC with a 7-0 record.

His résumé already includes notable victories over Jared Cannonier, Paul Craig, and Abus Magomedov.

A showdown with Imavov in Paris could catapult him directly into a title shot against Chimaev should he maintain his perfect run.

Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez

Long regarded as the division’s dark horse, Hernandez is on an eight-fight winning streak, six of which ended via stoppage.

Fresh from dismantling Roman Dolidze and notching a decision win over Brendan Allen, Hernandez has been vocal about his belief that he can halt Chimaev’s reign before it begins.

Speaking to ESPN after Chimaev’s victory over du Plessis, Hernandez did not mince words:
“Congratulations to him. It was a pretty boring fight, I’m not going to lie. But call me for the next title fight. I can wrestle, I can do jiu-jitsu, I can stop all that, and with my gas tank, I’ll drown him. I promise.”

Hernandez’s confidence, combined with his bonus-winning performances against Roman Kopylov, Michel Pereira, and Dolidze, makes him a credible threat to the champion.

Reinier de Ridder
A former ONE Championship double-titleholder, de Ridder has seamlessly transitioned into the UFC spotlight.

In 2025 alone, he has stacked up three impressive wins—submitting Kevin Holland, finishing Bo Nickal with a second-round TKO, and edging Robert Whittaker via split decision.

De Ridder recently expressed his readiness for a title shot in October:

“I’ll be 100 percent ready,” he told Submission Radio. “I didn’t stop training, and I can adjust very quickly. I’ll be ready to challenge Chimaev.”

Congrats on the belt @KChimaev. But I will show you what true grappling dominance looks like. 🤫 Sign the contract 😉 https://t.co/UgUBPnjdFD

— Reinier De Ridder (@DeridderMMA) August 19, 2025