When Khamzat Chimaev walks into the Octagon at UFC 319 to face Dricus Du Plessis, all eyes will be on him. The undefeated contender is chasing middleweight gold, but every war is won long before fight night.
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The real work happens far from the camera, on the mats, in the gym, and under the watchful eyes of those who mold champions. So, who’s in Chimaev’s corner? Which coaches are calling the shots, and which training partners are pushing him to his limits ahead of the biggest fight of his career? Let’s dive in!
Who is Khamzat Chimaev’s coach?
Simply put, there’s no one answer to the question. Ahead of his last fight at UFC 308 against Robert Whittaker, the undefeated fighter sought guidance from his first coach, Salim Selbievich, to further refine his skills.
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While having a conversation with YouTuber Adam Zubayraev, Chimaev emphasized the importance of getting back to his roots to understand why he started everything, “The point is they now let me rest and recover properly. I used to go to the gym and train till I was done. But then I ended up in hospital. Like the last time when I was in hospital, three times in a row within three weeks. My immune system went down, I got sick.”
He further added, “Now I use a better approach. I work with good coaches. Salim [Noutsalkhanov] raised a lot of world champions. He also trained Buvaisar Saitiev for the Beijing Olympics. With people like that, I’m going to take a big step forward.”
When he was training under the tutelage of the All-Stars gym back in Sweden, the undefeated fighter trained under Elmir Abbasov, Mohammad Babadivand, Selman Berisha, and many more.
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In addition to his other coaches, Chimaev has a jiu-jitsu coach named Alan Nascimento, who has helped him understand the art of BJJ. Thanks to Nascimento’s guidance, Chimaev was able to submit Kevin Holland when they fought.
Now, for UFC 319, he’s back under the tutelage of his head coach, Joakim Karlsson, and he isn’t shy about where his fighter stands. “Man, you can’t compare Khamzat, now, this time, with one, two years ago,” he told reporters recently. “It’s totally different. He has a different strength and conditioning coach now. It’s a different level.”
That strength and conditioning coach? Sam Calavitta, famous for pushing athletes past their limits while keeping them in peak condition, as evidenced by his work with former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw.
From seasoned MMA strategists to world-class wrestling minds, his coaching circle is deep, so which gym is he training at now for his long-awaited title shot?
Where does Khamzat Chimaev train?
Location can shape a fighter as much as the coach in their corner. For UFC 319, Chimaev’s camp has been set in California, with a mix of grit and sunshine fueling his preparations.
His main training partner? Arman Tsarukyan, currently ranked among the top of the lightweight division. Last year, Chimaev beat Tsarukyan in a grappling match. This year, they’re allies.
In a conversation on the JAXXON podcast, Tsarukyan recently confessed, “So far, his camp is going well. He’s healthy. He has a lot of energy, and I’m just here to help him. Whatever they need: If they need the wrestling, I’ll wrestle. If they need striking, I’ll strike. I’m here to help, and I want him to be a UFC champ.”
It’s not just sparring rounds. Chimaev’s time in the U.S. has given him access to Calavitta’s rigorous conditioning program, as mentioned earlier. The same one Karlsson says has taken his physical readiness “to a different level.”
But California is just one stop in a long journey. Over the years, Chimaev’s trained across multiple gyms, from Sweden’s Allstars Gym to facilities in Abu Dhabi.
At UFC 319, Khamzat Chimaev won’t just be stepping into the cage alone. In every punch, every takedown, every burst of energy in the championship rounds, you’ll see the fingerprints of the people and places behind him. The question is, will all that preparation be enough to take the belt from Dricus Du Plessis? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Written by
Edited by
Kshitiz Kumar Singh