What happened when Jack Hermansson took on Khamzat Chimaev in a wrestling match: FULL FIGHT VIDEO

Jack Hermansson and Khamzat Chimaev faced off in a memorable wrestling match a few years ago. At the time, Hermansson had solidified his position as a UFC middleweight contender, whereas Chimaev had competed in the UFC welterweight and middleweight divisions.

While Chimaev had already secured a win over UFC welterweight mainstay Li Jingliang, he hadn't beaten any top-tier contenders in the middleweight division in 2021. Heading into the wrestling match, speculations abounded that Hermansson might have a natural weight advantage over 'Borz', as the latter kept alternating between welterweight and middleweight.

A wrestler since his childhood in his birthplace, Chechnya, Russia, Khamzat Chimaev continued honing his skills after moving to Sweden.

Chimaev notably captured a gold medal at the Swedish Freestyle National Championships in 2016 and 2017, respectively. He did that while competing in the 86-kilogram category. Besides, he also bagged a gold medal at the Swedish Freestyle National Championships in 2018, this time in the 92-kilogram category.

As for Jack Hermansson, his grappling accomplishments, too, are nothing to scoff at. From the age of nine, the Swedish-Norwegian athlete commenced his martial arts journey as a Greco-Roman wrestler. Moreover, during his time as a professional MMA fighter, 'The Joker' has garnered a reputation for having an impressive BJJ arsenal and relentless wrestling.

In their freestyle wrestling match that transpired at Bulldog Fight Night 9 (November 19, 2021) in Sweden, 'Borz' put on a dominant performance against Hermansson. Chimaev displayed outstanding grappling prowess and ended up defeating 'The Joker' via decision/points by a margin of 8–0.

Among the notable talking points emerging from Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling match, a significant one was that he didn't look undersized against a full-time middleweight like Hermansson. Furthermore, many highlighted that 'Borz' exhibited superior cardio and masterful wrestling technique against a high-level grappler such as 'The Joker'.

Watch highlights from the Jack Hermansson vs. Khamzat Chimaev wrestling match below:

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Jack Hermansson vs. Khamzat Chimaev - What's next for 'The Joker' and 'Borz'?

In his past five MMA bouts inside the UFC's famed octagon, Jack Hermansson has won twice and lost thrice. His most recent fight witnessed him suffer a second-round TKO defeat against Roman Dolidze in December 2022. Presently, Hermansson is booked to face Joe Pyfer in the headlining matchup of UFC Vegas 86 on Feb. 10, 2024.

On the other hand, Khamzat Chimaev boasts an undefeated professional MMA record and has earned plaudits for his tremendous performances in his past five octagon appearances.

'Borz,' who now represents the UAE, is fresh off a majority decision win over Kamaru Usman in their middleweight bout in October 2023. Chimaev's a UFC middleweight title aspirant who's been relentlessly lobbying for a title shot. Regardless, his next opponent and exact comeback date are yet to be unraveled.