Khamzat Chimaev does not currently have an officially announced next fight or confirmed date on the UFC schedule as of February 2026. The most consistent reporting is that he will only be ready to return after Ramadan 2026 due to a minor foot surgery and his choice not to compete during Ramadan.

Quick Scoop

So… when does Khamzat fight next?

  • There is no officially booked fight (no confirmed event, date, or opponent on record yet).
  • Khamzat himself has said he expects to be back around April 2026 or later , once his foot has healed and Ramadan has ended.
  • Ramadan in 2026 runs from February 17 to around March 19 , so any realistic return is being discussed for Q2 2026 (April–June window).

In other words: fans should be looking at “after Ramadan 2026” , not before.

What’s going on with his injury?

  • Chimaev revealed he needs a small foot operation , which forces him out of training for several weeks.
  • Because he also observes Ramadan, that pushes both camp and fight date further back, making January–March 2026 basically impossible.
  • This layoff continues his pattern of long gaps between fights despite being one of the division’s scariest talents.

Likely timing and opponent (speculation but widely discussed)

  • Multiple reports and breakdowns say the UFC is eyeing his first middleweight title defense after Ramadan 2026.
  • A leading rumored opponent is Nassourdine Imavov , who has been on a strong win streak and is widely treated as a top contender in media chatter.
  • Nothing is officially signed, but a “Chimaev vs Imavov” title fight in April or later in 2026 is one of the most repeated scenarios in fan and media discussion.

Think of it like this: the story isn’t “Khamzat fights on X date” yet – it’s “Khamzat returns sometime after Ramadan, probably in a title defense, with Imavov at the front of the line.”

Forum-style talking points

If you’re jumping into a forum or group chat, here are angles people are already debating:

  1. Activity vs dominance
    • Is it bad for the division that the champ might only fight once a year?
 * Or does a longer camp mean an even more dangerous Chimaev?
  1. Imavov as the challenger
    • Pro: On a streak, stylistically interesting, earned his shot.
 * Con: Some fans still argue other contenders should be ahead of him, depending on late‑2025 and early‑2026 results.
  1. Timing and platform
    • There’s speculation that the UFC could line his return up with a big card later in 2026, especially now that the promotion’s 2026 TV era is shifting.

How to stay updated

Because nothing is signed yet, the best move is to:

  • Watch UFC’s official bout announcements (website and social).
  • Follow major MMA news outlets and reporters who cover middleweight title news.
  • Keep an eye on interviews with Chimaev and Imavov around and after Ramadan 2026.

Bottom line: if you’re searching “when does Khamzat fight next,” the honest current answer is: no official date yet, but most signs point to his next fight – likely a middleweight title defense, possibly against Nassourdine Imavov – happening sometime after Ramadan 2026, so earliest around April.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.