Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Khamzat Chimaev (red gloves) fights Kevin Holland (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

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Belal Muhammad And Khamzat Chimaev Trade Shots As Fight Rumors Explode!

Belal Muhammad and Khamzat Chimaev are going head-to-head online as fight rumors swirl!

Sep 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Khamzat Chimaev (red gloves) fights Kevin Holland (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The UFC’s welterweight and middleweight divisions have always been hotbeds for drama. Fighters jump between weight classes looking for glory and the trash talk flows freely. Weight class-hopping superfights create the biggest buzz in combat sports. Remember when Conor McGregor moved up to fight Eddie Alvarez and became the UFC’s first double champion? That moment changed how fighters view career paths forever.

Now two of the UFC’s most talkative personalities are stirring the pot on social media. Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and undefeated middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev have kicked off an unexpected war of words. Both fighters have impressive win streaks. They both have dominated top competition. Both have something to prove. The timing couldn’t be more interesting with each man facing crucial upcoming fights. Belal defends his 170-pound crown against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10. Meanwhile, Khamzat awaits his shot at middleweight king Dricus du Plessis later this year. But that hasn’t stopped them from looking ahead to a potential champion versus champion showdown.

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Belal Muhammad Looks To Move Up

Belal Muhammad recently did an interview with Submission Radio. The welterweight champion declared his intention to move up a weight class. He revealed that he was calling out Chimaev even before his move to middleweight.

“I have called out Khamzat when he was at 170. That is one of those fights i am always looking for. I am always looking for the toughest challenge.”

The timing makes perfect sense for the welterweight champ. Muhammad has cleared out much of his division. A victory over Della Maddalena would further cement his legacy at 170 pounds. Moving up to challenge for a second belt would put him in elite company. Only a handful of fighters have held UFC titles in multiple weight classes. The prospect of Muhammad joining that exclusive club adds serious intrigue to this developing rivalry.

Khamzat Chimaev Kicks Off Beef with “Pony” Comparison

The social media spat began when Chimaev posted a picture of a Shetland pony with the caption.

“bullyb170 where are you going pony,” he wrote in Russian alongside the image.

bullyb170 куда ты лезешь пони 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/i4HMuSSavJ
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) April 29, 2025

The odd comparison caught many fans off guard. Why a pony? Is he calling Muhammad small? Is this some Russian idiom? Nobody seems quite sure. But then again, Khamzat has always marched to the beat of his own drum when it comes to trash talk.

Chimaev’s focus had seemed solely fixed on middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis. UFC boss Dana White recently confirmed their title fight is official, though not happening during International Fight Week as originally planned.

Belal Muhammad, not one to back down, responded with his own trademark wit.

“Goin to middleweight,” Muhammad wrote alongside a picture of himself wearing a ‘Muhammad vs Chimaev’ t-shirt.

Belal Muhammad says he would face Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight if he becomes the champion and even posted a picture with a shirt of the two of them on it saying he would move up 👀

The wrestling exchanges between these two would be incredible to see 🤼‍♂️ #UFC315 pic.twitter.com/R7BJNIYIu9
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 30, 2025

The post sent fans into a frenzy. This wasn’t just casual banter, Belal came prepared with merchandise! The fact that Muhammad already has promotional clothing suggests he has been thinking about this matchup for some time. And who knows, he would move up to middleweight if he beats Jack Della Maddalena, clearing the way for Islam Makhachev to move up.

(Image Credit: Joe Camporeale – Imagn Images)

Belal Muhammad

Dricus Du Plessis

Jack Della Maddalena

Khamzat Chimaev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!