Khamzat Chimaev Says His Hands Need Fixing — But He Still Wants the UFC Belt Back
GOATIFYKhamzat Chimaev is still chasing the UFC middleweight championship, but his next move may involve fixing the hands that have helped make him one of the division's most feared fighters. Chimaev says recurring hand problems could require a short period away from full training, although he insists this is not another long-term health crisis.
The timing matters. Chimaev lost a close decision to Sean Strickland in May and has spent the months since trying to stay active while the UFC middleweight title picture moves around him. Rather than waiting silently for another championship opportunity, he has competed in wrestling and freestyle events and has continued calling for a return to the Octagon.
The hand injuries sound manageable, not career-altering
Chimaev explained that his hands regularly take punishment because of how hard he punches. The issue is significant enough that he wants treatment, but he says he can still spar and expects any real break to last roughly one or two months. That distinction is important because Chimaev's career has repeatedly been interrupted by illness and injuries that created much longer gaps.
This time, his message is different. He is not talking about disappearing from competition indefinitely. He is talking about maintenance: addressing damage, continuing recovery work and getting himself into position for another UFC booking as soon as the division gives him an opening.
That does not make the injuries irrelevant. Hand problems can change how a fighter trains, spars and throws at full power. But Chimaev's confidence that he can keep working suggests the current issue is more about protecting his next run than rebuilding from a major setback.
Chimaev is staying active while the UFC title picture develops
One reason Chimaev is not treating the situation like a full layoff is that he remains active outside the Octagon. His rivalry with Gilbert Burns has spilled into Real American Freestyle, giving him a competitive outlet while he waits for the UFC to settle its middleweight schedule.
That activity cannot replace an MMA fight, but it does keep Chimaev training, competing and visible. For a fighter whose biggest career criticism has often been inactivity, there is value in maintaining a competitive rhythm even when the exact UFC return date is uncertain.
Chimaev had pushed for a fight with Caio Borralho, but Borralho's own injury complicated an October booking. Chimaev says the Brazilian indicated November or December could be realistic. That leaves a non-title fight available if the UFC wants Chimaev back before the end of the year.
Strickland and Imavov may decide which belt Chimaev is chasing
The larger question is the championship. Sean Strickland took the middleweight title from Chimaev in May, but Nassourdine Imavov is expected to be a major factor in the next title fight. Chimaev is not framing his comeback around revenge. He says he wants the belt, regardless of who holds it.
That creates an interesting route back. If Strickland retains, Chimaev can argue that their first fight was close enough to justify another meeting after one strong win. If Imavov becomes champion, the matchup becomes fresh and gives Chimaev a chance to reclaim the title without needing the UFC to immediately run back the Strickland fight.
Chimaev has even said he favors Imavov in that matchup. The prediction is secondary to the message: he expects to remain close enough to the top of the division that the winner will eventually have to deal with him.
The next two months matter more than the injury headline
The most important part of Chimaev's update is the timeline. A one- or two-month recovery window still leaves room for a late-2026 UFC return. If Borralho becomes available, that could provide the contender fight Chimaev needs while Strickland and Imavov resolve the championship.
If no fight materializes, Chimaev has also made clear that he is willing to use the time to address the accumulated injuries he has carried through his career. That may be the smarter long-term choice. His talent has never been the question; availability has been the recurring obstacle.
For now, the hand injuries do not appear to remove Chimaev from the title race. They simply add another variable to a crowded middleweight picture. If he can get healthy, secure one meaningful win and avoid another extended absence, the former champion remains one of the division's easiest fighters to imagine back in a title fight.
