UFC star Khamzat Chimaev is 'difficult to train with,' says sparring partner

UFC star Khamzat Chimaev is not an easy person to train with, according to Caio Borralho.

Brazil's Borralho is one of the fastest rising contenders in the UFC middleweight division, having entered the division's Top 10 with a decision win over former title challenger Jared Cannonier at UFC on ESPN 62 last Saturday in Las Vegas. It was his 14th win a row.

Borralho's success comes as no surprise, given the quality of his training: the Brazilian has spent time sparring with the likes of Chimaev and Sean Strickland in recent years.

Chimaev is undefeated in MMA, with suffocating wrestling, slick submissions, and ferocious knockout power. Strickland, meanwhile, is the former UFC middleweight champ, and remains one of the division's top fighters.

Both Chimaev and Strickland are known for their intensity in sparring sessions, but according to Borralho, Chimaev is the more challenging person to train with.

“Oh dude, for sure the hardest guy to train is Khamzat,” Borralho told The Schmo (via MMA Mania ). “He’s a very hard guy to train. His style, his wrestling background — he’s very good at wrestling. He goes hard all the rounds. I think he’s one of the hardest training to do.

“I’ve been training with Sean Strickland, [Chris Curtis], very tough guys and hard training. Training with Sean Strickland is very hard too because he always pushes forward like screaming at your face. But, I think Khamzat is the guy who is most difficult to train with for sure. But he is the guy that I develop myself most.”

Chimaev, who was born in Chechnya but now represents Saudi Arabia, is set to return to the cage opposite former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker on October 26. The fight was originally set to occur in June, but was delayed when he was stricken with a recurring illness that has troubled him in recent years. His last fight occurred in October 2023, when he scraped by former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman in a short-notice fight.

Strickland last fought in June, when he defeated Paulo Costa by decision. That win separated him from a January decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis, which marked the end of his title reign. He is expected to rematch Du Plessis for the title next.

If he keeps winning, Borralho could also be fighting again soon.