Scouting Report: Khamzat Chimaev

Lev PisarskySep 09, 2022

Khamzat Chimaev

Born: May 1, 1994 (Age: 28) in Beno-Yurt, Russia
Division: Welterweight
Height: 6’2”
Reach: 75”
Record: 11-0 (5-0 UFC)
Association: Allstars Training Center
Stage of Career: Ascending

Summary: In a welterweight division chock full of good grapplers, Chimaev as one of the best. Enormously powerful and technical, he chain wrestles beautifully, reacting to every change in position by his opponent. Once on top, he has excellent control and punishing ground-and-pound. His striking remains a work in progress but can already be considered more than serviceable, with a deadly right cross, solid kicks and overall strong technique. Only a certain slowness and telegraphed nature to his punches holds him back. He defends well, however, making it tough to exploit his relative weakness in that area. His cardio is good and aids in his grappling style, but his chin looks to be average at best, indicating a possible way to defeat him. Nevertheless, it should be noted that Chimaev is still improving as he approaches his prime.

STRIKING

• Stance: Mostly Orthodox, though he occasionally switches.
• Hand Speed: Average at best.
• Jab: Straight, technical and powerful, but a little slow and telegraphed.
• Cross: Possesses legitimate knockout power and solid technique, but he definitely tips the punch, making it possible to counter.
• Left Hook: Carries a nice, tight arc, and while he turns his body into the punch well, it lacks speed and can be easy to see coming.
• Right Hook: Mediocre, rather clumsy and straight-armed.
• Overhand Right: A chopping slap more than anything.
• Uppercuts: Slow and lack power.
• Solitary Striker or Volume puncher: Throws punches in bunches whenever he senses any kind of opening.
• Favorite Combinations: Likes throwing the standard one-two in many situations.
• Leg kicks: Fairly technical and pack a wallop.
• Body Kicks: Decent, with an especially effective teep to the body.
• Head Kicks: Does Not throw them.
• Chains Kicks to Punches: No.

Chimaev’s standup may not be his primary weapon, but it has proven to be quite effective already. He wields a dangerous right cross with which he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert and floored Gilbert Burns. He fires a useful jab and tries to throw punches in bunches. His uppercuts, overhand right and right hook are all technically flawed and need more work. His other punches are fair, although they can be slow and telegraphed, thus leaving him open to being countered. His technical and powerful kicks are underrated. Defense may be the strongest part of his game, as he always seems alert to his opponents’ strikes and blocks exceedingly well. While standup remains the B-side of the Chimaev package, exploiting weaknesses there has not been easy.

CLINCH

• Physical Strength: Tremendous, as evidenced his outmuscling Burns.
• Technique: Textbook perfection.
• Knees: Throws them actively and continuously but not especially hard.
• Elbows: Does not throw them.
• Defense against Knees and Elbows: Well above average, solely due to the risk of his own takedown.

Chimaev can only be described a beast in close quarters, constantly grinding for takedowns and throwing knees to the stomach in the rare moments where he chooses not to try to ground opponents. His overwhelming strength and flawless technique make it virtually impossible for them to do anything outside of attempting to disengage.

GRAPPLING

• Wrestling from a Shot: Fast, technical and powerful.
• Wrestling in the Clinch: Being so strong and technical, he excels at chain wrestling and rolling with his opponents.
• Takedown Defense: Excellent, as he showed when he easily turned the corner and stuffed Burns’ attempts again and again.
• Ability to Return to Feet: Still an unknown, as he has not yet been taken down in the UFC.
• Submissions: At least useful, as he has locked in rear-naked chokes and brabo chokes against vulnerable opponents.
• Bottom-Position Defense and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Untested. • Top Control: Stellar. He blocks off escape routes and stays with his opponents, although he is not fond of playing in the guard with elite grapplers like Burns.
• Ground-and-Pound: Throws powerful punches to the head and body at a significant rate, all while mixing in brutal elbows.

Outstanding grappling continues to serve as Chimaev’s bread-and-butter. Not only is he strong and technical with his takedowns, but he constantly chain wrestles and floats with opponents through transitions—an awesome skill that rightly reminds people of Khabib Nurmagomedov. Moreover, his excellent top control and devastating ground-and-pound enhance the importance of his takedowns. His submissions are at least serviceable, although the full extent of his prowess in that area remains unclear. It should be noted that he preferred not to be in guard with a world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu player in Burns, which may indicate a ceiling to his potency on the ground. All signs point to his defensive grappling being exceptional, but we do not yet know how well he operates off his back.

INTANGIBLES

• Athleticism and General Physical Strength: Outstanding strength and at least decent athleticism.
• Cardio: Managed to fight at a fast pace against Burns for 15 minutes and only moderately slowed down in Round 3.
• Chin: Questionable. He was dropped and badly hurt by a Burns hook that was decent but not overwhelming.
• Recuperative Powers: Average.
• Intelligence: He fights opponents differently based on their strengths and weaknesses. Mostly makes good decisions.