UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev has launched a public campaign to secure a blockbuster champion-versus-champion fight with light heavyweight king Alex Pereira at the historic UFC White House event this June. In a series of posts on social media, Chimaev not only called out Pereira but also enlisted the Brazilian’s fanbase to pressure him into accepting the matchup, claiming “Poatan” is avoiding the fight.
Chimaev, who captured the 185-pound title in August last year, is looking to move up a weight class for a chance at double-champ status.
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Khamzat Chimaev (red gloves) fights Kevin Holland (blue gloves) during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
On Monday, Jan. 12, he took to X to issue his challenge directly:
The proposed stage for this superfight is the unprecedented UFC White House card planned for June of this year in Washington, D.C.
While UFC CEO Dana White has said matchmaking for the event will begin in earnest in February, top stars like Conor McGregor have already expressed interest in being placed on the card.
Pereira, who recently regained the 205-pound belt with a stunning 80-second knockout of Magomed Ankalaev in October 2025, revealed on social media that his ambitions for fighting on the White House card may not come to fruition.
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He cast doubt on his participation at the historic event, posting a picture alongside Dana White with the caption, “Looks like the White House is a NO GO!!!”
This suggests contract negotiations or other logistical hurdles may be in play, though nothing has been clarified.
Classic Grappler vs. Striker Matchup
The brewing conflict sets up a classic stylistic clash in MMA: the “grappler” Chimaev versus the “striker” Pereira.
Alex PereiraGetty
Pereira, a former Glory kickboxing champion, possesses one of the most feared striking arsenals in the UFC, with all but two of his UFC wins coming by knockout or technical knockout stoppage.
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Because of his fighting style, he tends to be more favored by fans who typically enjoy his action-packed, knockout-heavy style.
Chimaev, on the other hand, is possibly the most dominant wrestler and grappler who currently holds a championship belt.
Grappling is, historically, a style that many casual MMA fans tend to downplay or find lacking in terms of entertainment value. Despite this, Chimaev has utilized his grappling so effectively in MMA that he remains undefeated in his eight-year professional career.
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Fan Reactions
Many fans on social media have expressed their frustration with Chimaev, who has yet to make a single defense of his middleweight title that he won almost a year ago.
Here’s what they commented in response to news of the callout shared by fan account ACD MMA on X:
“Bum only fights once a year, trying to clout chase Alex smh.”
“Khamzat has zero title defences at Middleweight and already thinks he can fight Alex at 205.”
“If Diego Lopes, Paddy (Pimblett), and Justin (Gaethje) got title shots in this new paramount era, I won’t be surprised if this happens.”
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“Great on paper, terrible in reality. Khamzat will win by submission; we all know this. Pereira can’t grapple.”
“What happened to defending belts?”
“ ‘I will finish you fast.’ In other words, he’s gonna hold on to Alex for 5 rounds.”
“Man, hell no lol we don’t wanna watch no damn grappling matches.”
UFC Matchmakers Must Decide
The middleweight division has a clear top contender in Nassourdine Imavov, who knocked out former champion Israel Adesanya to earn his shot. UFC brass may insist Chimaev clean out his own division before pursuing a second belt.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 08: UFC CEO Dana White holds a press conference after the UFC 313 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)Dana White / Getty Images
Whether this champion-versus-champion dream match materializes at the White House all depends on Dana White’s appetite to see this fight take place. With both fighters holding gold and pursuing their own legacy-defining paths, the UFC matchmakers face a tantalizing puzzle.
Despite fans calling him out, Chimaev is doing everything in his power to force the issue, using social media and public pressure to challenge a champion he believes is hiding from him.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
