Mother figures in MMA – who comes to mind when you read this phrase? ‘Mama Woodley’, former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley’s mother? Or is it Khabib Nurmagomedov’s mother, because of whom the undefeated star retired at the cusp of his prime? Be that as it may, add another to the list – Khamzat Chimaev’s mother. Her reaction to her son beating Ikram Aliskerov tells you all you need to know about the dynamics of this sport beyond the confines of the cage.

Chimaev spoke of her reaction to his win on the ‘HYPE’ reality show and said, “As soon as the fight with Ikram is over… I call my mom all the time. I call her, and she turns out she already seen the fight. Crying, in a nutshell. I say, are you cryin for? I won!” [She] screams, ‘He has a mother, too! Do you know what’s wrong with her now?! If I saw you like this…’ In short, crying, [saying]: ‘You have to leave…’ She asks, ‘How is he?’ I say, ‘All right. He walked away on his feet.’ Her: ‘No, I don’t believe you; show me!’ I be like, ‘How do I show?'” (Smiles).

Chimaev and Aliskerov went one-on-one back in 2019 at Brave CF 23, where ‘Borz’ completely dominated his opponent with multiple takedowns and judo maneuvers very early into the fight. While Aliskerov was able to counter many of those, he finally succumbed, and ‘Borz’ got a first-round finish via knockout.

Another one of Chimaev’s former opponents, Kamaru Usman, had a confrontation with his opponent Tyron Woodley’s mother after taking the title off ‘T-Wood’ at UFC 235. But that story was a little different. In a heartwarming gesture, she embraced ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ and said, “It’s okay. It’s all good, baby. It’s all good… Bless your heart… It’s your turn. It ain’t his turn. It’s your time. Be encouraged, you hear me? And keep on working, cause they gonna come for you. And you take it to ’em.”

On one hand, we have a mother aching for her son’s opponent, and the other is happy for her son’s opponent. Both moments are rare gems in the thrill and the agony the sport of MMA comes with, speaking of which, we should get out attention back to the fighters.

Despite fighting opponents like Whittaker and Gilbert Burns, Khamzat Chimaev often calls Aliskerov the toughest man he ever faced. “I think one guy I met in Brave, Ikram Aliskerov, he has to be in the UFC. That guy’s good. I think he won five fights after me. That guy’s really good.”

Aliskerov is now a part of the UFC where he won two of his last three bouts in the promotion. With an overall record of 15-2-0, the four-time world champion is a beast. But even he fell against the might of Robert Whittaker at UFC Fight Night, an opponent against whom Khamzat Chimaev prevailed with ease. So what’s next for ‘Borz?’

Dana White’s future plans for Khamzat Chimaev

UFC CEO Dana White is keeping the hype alive for Khamzat Chimaev, whose meteoric rise in the MMA world continues to be discussed. Following this dominant win against Robert Whittaker, many believe that Chimaev is now in the sights of the current middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis. Although White had previously hinted that Sean Strickland was next on the list of title contenders, Chimaev’s overwhelming display of skill has sparked speculation about a change of plans.

During an appearance on The Jim Rome Show, White praised Chimaev’s performance and hinted at big plans for the fighter. “It was incredible. His manager told me before the fight that mentally, physically, and emotionally, he’s the best he’s ever been. He told me: ‘I tell you to wait until I see him on Saturday’, and he was right. He was absolutely right. It has never been better, especially against the competition he has had.”

He further added, “I’m looking forward to him having a title fight in 2025. We’ll see what happens here, but I want him to fight in the United States. I want him to fight for a title here in the United States.” With White’s backing and an impeccable record, Chimaev’s path to a title fight seems inevitable. Whether it’s Du Plessis or another contender on the other side of the octagon, 2025 could be the year Chimaev gets UFC gold. What do you think? Who do you want him to fight next? Let us know in the comments.