Ranking the Most Likely Opponent for Khamzat Chimaev’s Light Heavyweight Debut
Khamzat Chimaev shockingly lost his undefeated record and his UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 328 on May 9th when he was outpointed by brash American underdog Sean Strickland in Newark. The Chechen-born sensation had been on a tear throughout his stint at 185 pounds, dominating both Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis to claim the title. However, a brutal 40-plus-pound weight cut coupled with Strickland’s incredibly underrated takedown defense would spell the end of Borz’s reign as champion in his first title defense.
Online betting sites couldn’t see anything other than a Chimaev victory on fight night. The Bovada UFC betting odds when the two men made their way to the cage listed the champion as the clear -500 favorite, with the challenger a mighty +410 underdog. But after surviving the first round onslaught, Strickland would take charge of the fight, winning rounds two and three before edging the fifth on two judges’ scorecards to secure a razor-thin split decision victory.
Chimaev’s Impending Move to Light Heavyweight
In the immediate aftermath of the shocking upset, UFC head honcho Dana White said in his press conference that Chimaev had informed him he no longer wanted to compete at middleweight and would be moving up to light heavyweight, with that life-sapping weight cut clearly the reason. It’s scarcely believable that four years ago, Khamzat was campaigning at welterweight and 170 pounds. Fast forward to now, and he could well be set to move up to 205.
If his X — formerly known as Twitter — posts are anything to go by, Chimaev may not yet be done with middleweight. He has tagged Strickland in a post since losing his championship, saying, “let me know when you are ready.” That suggests an immediate rematch isn’t out of the question. But presuming what White said to the press post UFC 328 is true, who would be an ideal opponent for Chimaev in his light heavyweight debut? Here are three possible routes that the UFC could take.
AND NEWWWWWW +410 ✅
SEAN STRICKLAND IS THE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP #UFC328 https://t.co/ivBUbTR0Rn
— Bovada (@BovadaOfficial) May 10, 2026
Carlos Ulberg
When Ilia Topuria vacated his featherweight championship to move up to lightweight in 2025, he was awarded an immediate title shot. The same was the case for 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev, who also vacated his strap and was rewarded with an instant crack at the welterweight gold. Alex Pereira will soon receive a shot at the interim heavyweight title after vacating his light heavyweight championship. Would it be the wildest proposition for Chimaev to be afforded the same treatment?
Carlos Ulberg is the newly minted light heavyweight champion. He viciously knocked out Jiří Procházka in the first round of the pair’s clash for the vacant 205-pound title, and he did so on one leg after suffering an injury in the opening seconds of the contest. If Chimaev is to be given an immediate title shot in his move up in weight, then the Kiwi champion is most likely to be his first opponent in the division.
Of course, there is a huge asterisk next to this theory. Each of Topuria, Makhachev, and Pereira were the champions of their respective divisions when they vacated their belts and moved up to a heavier division. Chimaev, of course, is no longer the middleweight king after being dethroned by Strickland, and as such, the UFC may be unwilling to afford Borz the same treatment as those three superstars.
Jiří Procházka
If the rumor mill is to be believed, the reason Chimaev had such a monstrous weight cut ahead of the Strickland fight was that he was already preparing for a light heavyweight debut against Jiří Procházka. He had bulked up in a bid to move to 205, and the UFC changed plans at the last minute and pivoted to a Chimaev defense against Strickland. Now, could that fight against Procházka finally come to fruition?
The Czech sensation would certainly be a solid light heavyweight debut for Chimaev. Currently ranked at number three in the division and fresh off a title defeat to the champion Ulberg, victory over Procházka would likely secure Borz a spot as number one contender to the title. “Denisa” has lost each of his last three title challenges, twice to Alex Pereira and now again to Ulberg, and he has very much become somewhat of a gatekeeper in the division.
He looks to be a tailor-made opponent for the Chechen, who would likely wrestle his way to a dominant victory. Should an immediate title shot not be in the offing, Procházka looks to be the perfect opponent.
Paulo Costa
Should Chimaev be looking for somewhat of a lower-ranked opponent, then number seven-ranked Paulo Costa could well be an option. The loudmouth Brazilian has repeatedly taken shots at Chimaev in the media, repeatedly saying how he wants to “hurt” the Chechen, and he could well get his chance.
Costa recently knocked out Azamat Murzakanov in his light heavyweight debut, an impressive win that catapulted him to number seven in the world. A clash between him and Chimaev would certainly garner the headlines, and the winner would likely then campaign for a title shot.
