Khamzat Chimaev is getting another chance to face one of the toughest opponents of his UFC career, but this time the rivalry will continue on the wrestling mat rather than inside the Octagon. Chimaev is scheduled to meet Gilbert Burns at RAF 13 on September 18 in Miami, just weeks after the two former UFC welterweight contenders were officially booked for a wrestling rematch.
The matchup has become even more interesting after Chimaev dominated former UFC champion Tyron Woodley at RAF Moscow on September 5. Chimaev needed only 94 seconds to secure the pin, giving him another impressive result before his meeting with Burns.
Khamzat Chimaev Is Looking Forward to Gilbert Burns Rematch
Chimaev has not forgotten how difficult his first fight with Burns was. Speaking ahead of their RAF rematch, he acknowledged Burns’ wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu credentials while remembering how well the Brazilian defended during their UFC 273 encounter.
“Burns is a good wrestler and a good jiu-jitsu athlete,” Chimaev said in comments reported by Red Corner MMA. He also noted that Burns defended well when they previously fought and suggested that the upcoming match will show how much has changed since their first meeting.
That is an interesting assessment from Chimaev because he has rarely been pushed into the kind of competitive fight Burns gave him. The Russian-born fighter entered UFC 273 with a 10-0 record and had finished every previous opponent, but Burns survived the early pressure and forced Chimaev to fight for the full three rounds.
Chimaev ultimately won the UFC 273 fight by unanimous decision, but Burns left the bout with considerable credit for making the highly touted contender work harder than almost anyone before him.
Khamzat Chimaev 15-1-0
Khamzat Chimaev 15-1-0
Chimaev enters this period of his career as a former UFC middleweight champion with six knockout wins, six submission victories and nine first-round finishes. The UFC currently lists him as the No. 1 middleweight and No. 12 in the pound-for-pound rankings.
His only professional loss came against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in May 2026. Strickland defeated Chimaev by split decision, with the official scorecards reading 48-47, 48-47 and 47-48, taking the middleweight championship from him.
Chimaev has made it clear since that defeat that his primary goal remains getting back into the UFC title picture. He has repeatedly called for a rematch with Strickland, although the UFC has not yet booked that fight.
For now, Chimaev is staying active outside the Octagon while waiting for clarity on his UFC future.
Sportsgotec has previously covered Khamzat Chimaev’s next-fight situation, and the current situation makes that storyline even more relevant because his wrestling schedule is moving much faster than his UFC plans.
Gilbert Burns 22-10-0
Burns 22-10-0 enters the rematch with a much different career situation. The Brazilian retired from MMA competition after his April 2026 loss to Mike Malott, which left him on a five-fight losing streak. The UFC currently lists Burns as retired with a 22-10 professional record, including nine submission wins and six knockout victories.
Despite stepping away from MMA, Burns has not stopped competing in grappling. He returned to submission competition at UFC BJJ 9 in June and reportedly submitted Horlando Monteiro in 82 seconds. That performance helped set up his return to competition under the RAF banner.
Burns has also spent much of his career developing one of the strongest grappling foundations among UFC welterweights. The UFC lists his fighting style as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, while his career résumé includes nine submission victories and multiple world-level jiu-jitsu achievements.That makes this wrestling matchup particularly intriguing. Burns will not have access to his full MMA arsenal, but he will still bring years of grappling experience into a contest against one of the most physically dominant wrestlers in combat sports.
Chimaev and Burns First Fought at UFC 273
The original Chimaev-Burns fight took place on April 9, 2022, at UFC 273. At the time, Chimaev was one of the fastest-rising prospects in the UFC and had already developed a reputation for overwhelming opponents with relentless wrestling pressure.
Burns represented a major step up in competition.Chimaev had finished his first 10 professional opponents, but Burns refused to disappear under the pressure. The Brazilian absorbed Chimaev’s attacks, created dangerous exchanges of his own and pushed the fight into the third round.
Chimaev eventually won by unanimous decision, but the fight was widely viewed as his toughest test to that point. The UFC’s official record confirms the decision victory and places the fight among the most important early stages of Chimaev’s career.The result also demonstrated something that remains relevant today: Burns had enough grappling awareness and composure to prevent Chimaev from simply overwhelming him.That is one reason the RAF rematch is more than a nostalgia fight.
This Time It Is Wrestling, Not MMA
The biggest difference between the two meetings is the ruleset.The first fight allowed both men to use the complete MMA skill set, including striking, submissions, takedowns and ground-and-pound. The RAF rematch will instead be contested under freestyle wrestling rules, meaning the matchup will place much greater emphasis on takedowns, control, positioning and the ability to score on the mat.
That change could favor Chimaev.His wrestling has always been one of the defining elements of his MMA game, and his performances in RAF have already demonstrated how effective he can be when striking is removed from the equation.
At the same time, Burns is not an inexperienced grappler trying to learn wrestling from scratch. His elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu background gives him considerable experience with positional battles, scrambles and submission-oriented grappling.The question is whether that skill set translates effectively enough into freestyle wrestling against Chimaev.
Chimaev Just Dominated Tyron Woodley
Chimaev’s most recent RAF performance provided a strong warning for Burns.On September 5, Chimaev faced former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in the RAF Moscow main event. Woodley is a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler, so this was not a matchup against an opponent without legitimate wrestling credentials.
Yet Chimaev needed only 94 seconds to secure the victory.Woodley initiated an early single-leg attempt, but Chimaev defended it, quickly turned the position around and took control. Chimaev scored two push-out points before using a body lock and takedown to secure the pin at 1:34 of the opening period.
The performance was another reminder that Chimaev’s physical strength and wrestling instincts can create problems even for highly accomplished wrestlers.It also means Burns will enter RAF 13 knowing exactly how dominant Chimaev looked in his previous match.
Burns Has a Different Challenge Than Woodley
Burns will bring a different kind of threat than Woodley.Woodley’s greatest wrestling credentials come from his collegiate background and explosive takedowns, while Burns has spent much of his combat sports career developing his Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Burns is comfortable operating in scrambles and transitional positions where a single mistake can turn into a submission opportunity in MMA.
That submission threat will not carry the same importance under a wrestling ruleset, but Burns’ understanding of leverage and body positioning should still matter.The question is whether he can use that knowledge to neutralize Chimaev’s explosive attacks.Chimaev will likely want to force the pace immediately, just as he has done throughout his MMA and RAF career. Burns, meanwhile, will need to avoid being overwhelmed in the opening exchanges and find ways to make Chimaev work for every position.
Chimaev Is Staying Active While Waiting for UFC Return
The Burns rematch also fits into Chimaev’s wider plan.His UFC future remains unclear after losing the middleweight championship to Strickland. Chimaev has publicly expressed interest in several possible opponents, including Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho, depending on how the division develops.
Recent developments have complicated those options. Some potential opponents have injuries or other scheduled fights, leaving Chimaev without an immediate UFC matchup.
That makes RAF an attractive way for him to remain active.Rather than waiting months without competition, Chimaev has been able to stay busy on the wrestling circuit. He defeated Dillon Danis at RAF 10 in June, then defeated Woodley in September, and will now face Burns.The schedule is unusually aggressive for a former UFC champion.
Chimaev’s Middleweight Ranking Remains Important
Even though these RAF matches do not directly affect his UFC ranking, Chimaev’s position inside the UFC middleweight division remains important.He is currently ranked No. 1 at 185 pounds, meaning the former champion remains directly connected to the title picture despite his loss to Strickland.That makes his wrestling activity somewhat unusual. Chimaev is competing frequently outside the UFC while still positioning himself for another championship run in MMA.
A strong performance against Burns will not automatically earn him a UFC title shot, but it can help maintain his competitive momentum while the UFC determines what happens next at middleweight.For readers following the division, Sportsgotec’s UFC middleweight rankings provide additional context for where Chimaev currently sits among the division’s contenders.
What Happened to Chimaev’s UFC Title Reign?
Chimaev became UFC middleweight champion by defeating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025. He dominated large portions of that fight through his wrestling and control, eventually earning a unanimous decision over the former champion.
The victory appeared to establish Chimaev as one of the most dominant forces at 185 pounds.However, his first title defense against Strickland produced a completely different result. Strickland survived Chimaev’s early pressure, kept the fight competitive on the feet and ultimately won the judges’ decision.
It was the first defeat of Chimaev’s professional career.The loss did not erase his previous dominance, but it created a new challenge. Chimaev now has to prove that he can respond to adversity and regain the championship he held for less than a year.
Could Gilbert Burns Upset Chimaev in Wrestling?
The rules make this a difficult matchup to predict with confidence.Chimaev has already shown that he can overwhelm elite wrestlers under RAF rules, and his size and physicality could be major advantages against Burns. His 94-second pin of Woodley demonstrated just how quickly he can turn a neutral position into a winning sequence.
Burns, however, has something Woodley did not have in the same form: a world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu background and extensive experience dealing with grappling exchanges at the highest level.
The first UFC fight also provides Burns with valuable information. He has already spent 15 minutes dealing with Chimaev’s pressure, something very few opponents can claim.If Burns can use that experience to anticipate Chimaev’s attacks and force longer exchanges, he could make the rematch considerably more competitive.
Why This Rematch Matters for Both Fighters
For Chimaev, the Burns matchup is another chance to sharpen the wrestling skills that have always been central to his MMA identity. It also gives him a meaningful opponent rather than simply another exhibition-style appearance.
For Burns, the stakes are different.He has already retired from MMA, so this is not about climbing the UFC rankings or earning another title shot. Instead, it gives him a chance to revisit one of the most competitive fights of his career and attempt to settle the rivalry under a completely different ruleset.
There is also a personal competitive element.Burns came closer than almost anyone to derailing Chimaev’s unbeaten rise during their first meeting. Four years later, he gets another opportunity to challenge him, even if the fight now takes place outside the UFC.
Chimaev Gilbert Burns Rematch Date and Location
Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns are scheduled to meet at RAF 13 on September 18, 2026.The event will take place at the Watsco Center in Miami, Florida, with Chimaev vs. Burns booked as the co-main event. The card is headlined by a crossover cruiserweight championship matchup involving former UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington and former UFC champion Belal Muhammad.
The Chimaev-Burns contest is expected to be held at a catchweight under RAF’s wrestling format.This will be Burns’ first RAF appearance, while Chimaev will enter the contest with two victories already recorded under the promotion.That experience could be significant.
What Comes Next for Chimaev After Burns?
The Burns matchup is unlikely to be the final stop in Chimaev’s wrestling run. Chimaev has repeatedly shown that he wants to stay active, and RAF has already provided him with several high-profile opponents.However, the UFC remains the main destination for his MMA career.
Chimaev has made it clear that he wants to return to the Octagon and eventually reclaim the middleweight championship. The biggest question is whether the UFC can find the right opponent at the right time.If Strickland remains champion and the UFC eventually books the rematch, Chimaev will have a clear opportunity to avenge the only defeat of his career. If the title picture changes before that happens, other contenders could enter the conversation.For now, Chimaev appears content to keep competing wherever the opportunities arise.
Final Thoughts
Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns are about to revisit one of the most important fights of Chimaev’s early UFC career, but the rematch will look completely different this time. Instead of an MMA fight inside the Octagon, the two will meet under freestyle wrestling rules at RAF 13 on September 18 in Miami.
Chimaev enters with considerable momentum after pinning Tyron Woodley in only 94 seconds at RAF Moscow. The former UFC middleweight champion has also already defeated Dillon Danis in his first RAF appearance, making the Burns matchup his third wrestling contest in the promotion.
Burns, meanwhile, has moved into a different phase of his career. The 40-year-old Brazilian has retired from MMA after a five-fight losing streak but remains active in grappling, giving him the opportunity to compete against Chimaev without returning to the UFC.
The original fight showed that Burns could push Chimaev further than almost anyone had before. Now, the Brazilian has another opportunity to test himself against the same opponent, while Chimaev gets another chance to demonstrate just how dangerous his wrestling has become.The result will not change Chimaev’s UFC record or immediately alter the middleweight title picture, but it could provide another fascinating chapter in a rivalry that started with one of the most memorable fights of Chimaev’s rise.
