Leading into fight week for UFC Houston, the MMA world was abuzz with sweeping rumors about potential shakeups in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Chief among them was talk that Khamzat Chimaev could vacate his newly won middleweight title and move up to 205 pounds in pursuit of a second world championship. Reports also suggested he wouldn’t face reigning champion Alex Pereira, but instead Jiri Prochazka at UFC 327, with the light heavyweight belt itself potentially being vacated.
Such a scenario would have cleared the path for Pereira to chase his own ambitions at heavyweight, aiming to become the promotion’s first-ever triple-division champion. A massive shakeup, right? Not so fast, as Dana White addressed the speculation in a media appearance immediately following the event, pouring cold water on the swirling rumors.
Dana White Wants Khamzat Chimaev To Stay at 185lbs, Welcomes Alex Pereira’s Heavyweight Ambitions
For the unversed, Khamzat Chimaev dominated Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in August 2025 to capture the middleweight title, but he has yet to record a single defense. The primary reason has been his recovery from foot surgery, which has kept him sidelined.
Recently, Chimaev fueled speculation by posting “205” on X and was also spotted training with light heavyweight contender Khalil Rountree Jr. in social media clips. Beyond that, Chimaev has called out Alex Pereira for years and discussed a potential matchup during a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast.
However, Dana White has poured cold water on those ambitions. Speaking at the UFC Houston post-fight press conference, White was asked about Chimaev’s recent activity and the buzz around a move to 205 pounds. White said, “I’d like to see him defend his title at a weight first.”
He added, “Yeah, I’d like to see him defend his title before he talks about jumping around. You’re gonna keep going up in weight divisions without defending. I’d rather see him defend.”
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When it came to Pereira, however, White struck a more supportive tone and did not rule out a potential move to heavyweight. He said, “Well, he’s (Alex Pereira) one of those guys who always steps up and does whatever we need him to do.”
White said of Pereira’s desire to move to heavyweight and chase a third belt. “Whatever that guy wants to do, we’ll work with him.”
This comes after Pereira stopped Magomed Ankalaev in their rematch at UFC 320, where he called out Jon Jones for a heavyweight clash on the upcoming UFC White House card in June. Jones has since revealed ongoing struggles with arthritis, which have seemingly delayed his return to competition.
That development has effectively cooled talk of a Pereira vs. Jones showdown. Meanwhile, other rumors suggest Pereira could face Ciryl Gane for an interim heavyweight title while undisputed king Tom Aspinall continues recovering from a double eye-poke injury and subsequent surgeries, though no such bout has been officially confirmed.
With middleweight contenders like Nassourdine Imavov and Sean Strickland, who stopped Anthony Hernandez at UFC Houston and even called out Chimaev waiting in the wings, it appears increasingly likely that Chimaev will need to remain at 185 pounds and rack up title defenses before seriously pursuing a move to light heavyweight.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.