“He’s not Islam, and he’s not Khabib, he’s Khamzat.” Those were the words of the veteran MMA coach from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp last year. And if you thought that admiration had faded, think again. Javier Mendez was in his “favorite office”, Dubai Mall when a sudden tap on the shoulder caught him off guard. “Hi coach,” came the greeting. He looked up. And there he was, Khamzat Chimaev. The undefeated Chechen wrecking machine. It is safe to say that the AKA head honcho was momentarily stunned.

“He’s a big boy. He’s not a small guy,” he later remarked on the Javier Mendez Podcast, still digesting the sheer presence of the undefeated 185fer. But let’s pause here. Does this random mall encounter actually mean anything? Or is it just another day in the life of MMA’s elite? Well, considering how Chimaev commands respect wherever he goes, this might just be a bigger moment than it seems. A brief but telling exchange followed. Mutual respect. That undeniable aura. And then came the kicker. “He’s a big boy,” Mendez reiterated. “And he [Chimaev] goes, ‘If you need anything, let me know.'”

Now, when someone like Chimaev offers you a favor, you take it seriously. Mendez, never one to exaggerate, made it clear, “You know and that’s traditionally how the Dagestani Chechens are so polite, and when they say if you need anything, they’re not just saying it. If you say I need this they’ll go do it. They honor it, otherwise they won’t say it,” He added.

“I got a good feeling from him. Good vibes from him. If he’s the next guy, the next challenger, ohhh boy. You better be able to deal with what he brings to the table.” Mendez added with a chilly undertone. What does it mean? A loud ‘buckle up, middleweights’ message.

But let’s zoom out. The timing of this encounter couldn’t be more interesting. ‘Borz’ is almost confirmed to take on reigning king Dricus Du Plessis next, and after what ‘Borz’ did to Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, the stakes just got a whole lot higher. Moreover, the South African too got past his stiffest challenge yet with ease after he slayed Sean Strickland at UFC 312. A clash between the duo seems inevitable!

Mendez had nothing but praise for Chimaev’s ruthless performance against Bobby Knuckles, which ended in a shocking submission. “Wow, what a fighter, what an unbelievable fighter,” Mendez said. “When Robert gave him his back, his jaw went snap, and teeth went out… I was surprised that Robert tapped so quick, but I didn’t realize what had happened, that he broke his jaw.”

So now, here we are. With ‘The Reaper’ and ‘Tarzan’ out of the way, the undefeated Chechen is the problem that middleweights need to solve. Additionally, with Israel Adesanya dethroned and seemingly on a downward trajectory, holding onto nothing but his legacy, the division has never been more unpredictable. And Team Khabib might not be thrilled about it. Let’s see why!

Is Khamzat Chimaev a roadblock for Islam Makhachev’s double champ ambitions?

This all circles back to one key dilemma, Islam Makhachev and his plans for welterweight or middleweight gold. The lightweight champ has made his intentions crystal clear, “I will not leave this sport without a second belt.” Sounds ambitious, right? Well, not everyone’s convinced.

But Dan Hooker, who shared the Octagon with the Dagestani at UFC 267, had a blunt reality check for Islam’s aspirations. “(Makhachev) ain’t going up to 170 [pounds], bro… No, I don’t think so. Khabib never got to 170. Did Khabib ever fight at 170? Like, he talked about it… They’re going to talk about it for half a decade… And Ronda Rousey was going to beat the men in the bantamweight division… Like, it’s drinking the Kool-Aid.”

Sarcasm or lingering frustration from his loss aside, the question remains, will Islam actually take that leap, or is this just another ‘what could have been’ situation? And if he does climb up to 170lbs, what about his vow of brotherhood to Belal Muhammad? And what happens when he runs into that problem called Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight?

Meanwhile, Dricus Du Plessis has his eyes locked on a different prize, light heavyweight king Alex Pereira. “I want to beat that guy. I’ve beaten Adesanya, who’s beaten him. I know I can beat him at 205, 100 percent.” A bold statement. But first, he has a certain Chechen nightmare to deal with. And the South African seems anything but ready for his next great challenge!

“Khamzat is next,” he confirmed, brushing aside other contenders. Whether he sees ‘Borz’ as a stepping stone or a legitimate threat, that’s another story. With all these moving parts, the Makhachev equation, the Du Plessis ambition, and Chimaev’s undeniable presence, one thing’s for certain, the Chechen wolf just became the most important wildcard in the UFC’s championship picture.

And if the way he casually pulled up on Mendez is any indication, he knows it. What do you think? Is Khamzat Chimaev a roadblock, or is he the future? Let us know in the comments below!