During a recent episode of his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, veteran UFC commentator Joe Rogan didn’t hesitate when asked about the most fearsome star currently competing in the promotion.
When comedian Bert Kreischer appeared unfamiliar with one of MMA’s rising stars, Rogan seized the opportunity to educate his guest about Khamzat Chimaev, the undefeated phenom who has been terrorizing opponents since joining the UFC.
“The scariest guy in the UFC, or one of the scariest, is from Chechnya,” Rogan said. “Dude, this guy is a f******… Khamzat Chimaev, he is a f******* animal. Have you ever seen that guy fight? Pull up Khamzat Chimaev vs Kevin Holland. So, Khamzat Chimaev is the number one contender in the middleweight division. He’s a f****** monster, and he’s so aggressive, like relentlessly aggressive.”
Chimaev, 30, currently boasts an immaculate 14-0-0 professional record and most recently defeated former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 in October. The victory came via submission, with reports that Chimaev’s hold was so powerful it actually broke Whittaker’s teeth.
Rogan, who has been commentating UFC events since 1997, continued praising Chimaev’s extraordinary abilities while showing Kreischer highlight footage. “Bro, the amount of f****** grappling power you have to have to ragdoll Kevin Holland like this is insane.”
In previous discussions, Rogan has shared his theory on what creates the most intimidating competitors in combat sports. According to the 57-year-old commentator, a fighter’s upbringing plays a crucial role in developing their mentality.
“The scariest MMA fighters have older brothers who used to beat them up. They are ready to throw down all the time… The guys that I know who are the f****** scariest, they had people that beat them up when they were young,” Rogan explained. “They are just ready to go. They don’t have a fear of going, they wanna go. They wanna go all the time, ‘Let’s f****** go!’ It’s the only way to survive. You better be hard or you are not going to make it.”
This theory certainly applies to Chimaev, who grew up during the Chechen Wars. In a 2021 interview with ESPN, he detailed the significant hardships of his childhood, making his rise to UFC stardom all the more remarkable.
Currently ranked third in the middleweight division, Chimaev has been confirmed by UFC CEO Dana White as the next challenger for the championship. With his undefeated record featuring six knockouts and six submissions, the Chechen competitor continues to solidify his reputation as one of the most intimidating forces in mixed martial arts today.
