Khamzat Chimaev (Image Source: Getty)
Khamzat Chimaev is leaving no stone unturned as he prepares for the first defense of his middleweight title. The undefeated star has brought together a strong group of fighters in his training camp.
Big names like Aaron Pico and Arman Tsarukyan have already been working closely with him. Recently, former champion Demetrious Johnson also visited his camp in California.As the highly anticipated clash with Sean Strickland approaches, Chimaev is focusing heavily on sharpening his grappling and overall skills. With just weeks left, his preparation has reached an intense level. The latest addition to his camp has further raised attention.
A top-ranked middleweight has now joined him, making this camp even more competitive and interesting. On the other hand, Strickland was also spotted hitting the speedbag hard in his latest training camp video.
Khamzat Chimaev grapples with Brendan Allen in intense training session
In a recent training video, Brendan Allen was seen working closely with Chimaev during a grappling session. The footage showed the champion dominating positions on the ground. His control and pressure stood out.
The session took place at Santo Studio in California. It marked Allen’s first day of training with the team.
Allen is currently ranked among the top middleweights. He is coming off a strong win over Reinier de Ridder. However, he had previously suffered a loss to Strickland back in 2020. That fight was closely contested and took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Now, training alongside Chimaev gives Allen a chance to improve his grappling against one of the best in the division.At the same time, Allen is scheduled to fight Edmen Shahbazyan next. This matchup has surprised many fans due to the ranking difference between the two fighters. Some believe Allen should have faced a higher-ranked opponent like Dricus du Plessis instead. Du Plessis has not fought since losing his title to Chimaev in a dominant performance.With the fight night getting closer, both Chimaev and Strickland are preparing at full speed. Chimaev is working on his grappling strength and control. Meanwhile, Strickland is expected to focus more on wrestling defense. This upcoming clash is being seen as one of the biggest fights in middleweight history. Both fighters are pushing hard to be at their best when they step into the Octagon.
