Overview
- Chimaev posted that he is "ready" and named Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho as possible opponents, a message published publicly on Monday that broadened his rematch demand.
- Caio Borralho directly answered Chimaev’s call and proposed Madison Square Garden in November or T‑Mobile Arena in December as possible sites and dates for a fight.
- The UFC has not announced any booking for Chimaev and president Dana White has said no decision is final, noting fan interest will factor into whether Chimaev gets an immediate rematch with Strickland.
- Chimaev is set to stay active in Real American Freestyle grappling with matches in Moscow on Sept. 5 and a rematch with Gilbert Burns on Sept. 18, which keeps him visible while the promotion finalizes late‑year cards.
- Strickland is recovering from a shoulder issue and Nassourdine Imavov has publicly argued he deserves the next title chance, so the UFC may either schedule Strickland vs. Imavov, pair Chimaev with a top contender, or use Chimaev’s RAF activity to gauge fan interest and timing.