Weeks out from his return, Khamzat Chimaev has scaled the biggest obstacle to headline UFC 319 later this summer.
Set to challenge for middleweight gold for the first time in his Octagon run, the unbeaten Chimaev will take main event honors at UFC 318 in a trip to Chicago, Illinois.
And running roughshod through middleweights recently, the Chechen star is tasked with stopping the perfect run of current champion, Dricus du Plessis.
Returning to US soil for the first time to compete since 2022, Chimaev will fight outside of either Las Vegas or the Middle East for the first time in his run with the Octagon leader.
Khamzat Chimaev touches down in United States for UFC 319 return
And clearly a rather sizeable obstacle to competing in North America, Chimaev has flown into Los Angeles International Airport over the weekend, to put the finishing touches on his fight camp.
Posting a photo of him awaiting processing at US Customs and Border Protection, Chimaev will have put many fans’ minds at rest with this latest development.
Exclusively competing outside of North America for his last two trips to the Octagon, a date line with du Plessis in Illinois is finally on the horizon for the unbeaten star.
Fresh from his brutal win over ex-champion, Robert Whittaker, Chimaev has positioned himself as a severe threat to the reign of South African star, du Plessis, since his return to middleweight almost two years ago.
A significant favorite to beat the Pretoria native in their middleweight title fight in August, Chimaev has been warned, however, to show up to the actual fight first and foremost.
Dricus du Plessis cautious of actually meeting Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319
Finally Stateside, Chimaev does still need to make it to fight night in Illinois at the end of this summer.
But given his recent fallouts from fights with Leon Edwards, Nate Diaz, and his failed clash with Paulo Costa, Chimaev has brought some worry to the camp of du Plessis.
With Nassourdine Imavov a willing stand-in if required, du Plessis has just urged Chimaev to actually step foot in the Octagon with him come August 16.
“Guess I’m fighting Imavov,” du Plessis trolled Chimaev in a recent post on social media, pointing to his history of scrapped return bouts.