Khamzat Chimaev received a warm welcome from his fans in the United Arab Emirates after coming home with the UFC title.
Just 48 hours on from defeating Dricus du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship, fans flocked to see the fighter return home.
Footage of the 31-year-old arriving started making the rounds on social media, with a big crowd visible in the videos.
Chimaev, who was rocking the belt on his shoulder, took time to sign autographs and pose for photos for those in attendance.
The MMA fighter, who was born in the Chechen Republic of Russia, now resides in the UAE. He received citizenship from the Arab nation in January 2025.
Khamzat returns back to the UAE with his belt. pic.twitter.com/gohafMJM4a
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 18, 2025
Chimaev accused of being boring
Chimaev may have won the UFC championship last weekend, but he did not win over the entire fanbase.
While some were impressed with his outstanding wrestling skills, others have questioned the entertainment value of his fights.
Chimaev spent most of the five-round bout with du Plessis on top of the South African, with little striking action on display.
UFC legend Demetrious Johnson hit back at those claims and defended Chimaev on his YouTube channel.
The former flyweight champion said: “If you guys don’t wanna watch grappling and wrestling and jiu-jitsu — don’t watch the UFC.
“You guys are complaining about something that is a very easy problem to fix. For example, let’s say Khamzat is about to fight again, you don’t wanna watch his style. All you’ve gotta do is go like this: you see this button right here, it’s called off button.
“You don’t have to see Khamzat wrestle,” Johnson continued. “It’s a very simple problem to fix guys. You guys are making it a bigger deal than it is.”
What next for Chimaev?
Having reached the pinnacle of the sport, the next question for Chimaev concerns his next move.
During his post-fight press conference, the middleweight king told reporters he is injury-free and ready to go again.
Chimaev will undoubtedly have his sights set on the UFC’s show in Abu Dhabi in October. When asked whether fans could potentially see him in action on that card, he simply said: “I’m ready always.”
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