Khamzat Chimaev has attracted immediate interest for his Real American Freestyle Wrestling debut after signing with the promotion ahead of his upcoming UFC middleweight title defence against Sean Strickland on May 9.

The undefeated champion is set to headline UFC 328 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, in a long-awaited clash with Strickland, while also expanding his activity into freestyle wrestling as several UFC fighters have done in recent months.

One potential opponent has already emerged, with Bo Nickal publicly calling for a matchup following the announcement. “Khamzat signing with RAF. That is very exciting. Let’s run it,” Nickal said in a post on X.

Nickal’s interest comes despite previous tensions between the pair, having earlier omitted Chimaev from his list of top MMA wrestlers and claiming he would “ragdoll” him in a potential fight, while UFC rules currently prohibit active fighters from competing against each other in outside promotions.

UFC president Dana White offered a brief response to Chimaev’s signing when asked following UFC Winnipeg. “Who signed him to a deal?” he said, before adding, “Oh yeah, okay. Good for them. I hope it works out for them, yeah,” according to event coverage, as discussions reportedly continue over possible rule adjustments to allow inter-promotional matchups.

Chimaev’s RAF debut opponent and date are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, while his immediate focus remains on his title defence against Strickland, with the bout marking the culmination of a long-standing rivalry between the two middleweights.