UFC champion Hamzat Chimaev (32), known for his undefeated record in the middleweight division, has set his sights on an even greater ambition: winning Olympic gold in wrestling for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Chimaev's exceptional wrestling skills have been a cornerstone of his MMA success, and he now aims to compete at the highest level of the sport for his new home country, reports Bloody Elbow.
Dream of Olympic Glory
Asked about a potential wrestling match against Olympic legend Kyle Snyder organized by RAF Wrestling, Chimaev clearly distinguished financial motivations from his sporting ambitions. "If the pay is good, sure. But if it's not about easy money, I'm not interested in the match. If I genuinely want to compete against Olympic champions, I will go to the Olympics for the UAE. That's one of the options," the champion stated.
Aware of the immense challenge ahead, Chimaev added, "It will be extremely difficult to win gold, as I have to work extremely hard since there are many good guys in my category. I am just trying to find a way to compete with some of them."
Focus on Strickland and Future Plans
Besides his Olympic ambitions, Chimaev reiterated his plan to not limit himself to the middleweight division but also to challenge for titles in the welterweight and even heavyweight categories. However, he emphasized that his current focus is solely on his upcoming fight in Newark against Sean Strickland, a fighter who has recently made disparaging comments about him. If Chimaev, as predicted by former champion Robert Whittaker, defeats Strickland at UFC 328, his path to Olympic competition and new weight classes will be wide open.
