Chimaev Pins Woodley in 94 Seconds at RAF Moscow, Burns Up Next

Khamzat Chimaev took 94 seconds to end his RAF Moscow headliner on Saturday, reversing and slamming Tyron Woodley before pinning both shoulders to the mat at 1:34 of the first period. The UFC middleweight champion, ranked No. 1 with a 15-1 pro MMA record, is now stacking wins on the grappling circuit as fast as he did inside the cage.

The bout ran at a 195-pound catchweight, and the size gap was obvious. But Woodley isn't exactly a novice on the mat — the former UFC welterweight champ was a two-time All-American at the University of Missouri, and he shot first, digging deep on a single-leg that Chimaev shut down before the restart.

How It Ended

Chimaev opened the scoring with a pair of push-outs for two points. Then, with Woodley pressing inside looking for either a shove out of bounds or a level change to a double-leg, Chimaev caught him. He reversed, lifted Woodley clean off the ground and dumped him back onto the mat, locked position and forced the pin.

Chimaev grinned at Woodley afterward, and the two embraced. It's a softer look than fans got from the man who mauled his way to the top of the UFC's 185-pound division — but the intent is the same. When asked who he wants next in RAF, Chimaev said it doesn't matter to him: anyone will do, and he's back in two weeks regardless.

What's Next

That next assignment is a familiar face. Chimaev meets Gilbert Burns at RAF 13 on Sept. 18 in Miami, a rematch of sorts after their 2021 UFC classic. Burns, now 22-10 (9 submissions) and coming off a third-round TKO loss to Mike Malott, brings genuine grappling credentials to the mats — this one should be a step up from a size-mismatch exhibition.

Woodley, meanwhile, seems to have found a landing spot. He beat Joaquin Buckley — currently the UFC's No. 10 welterweight — in his RAF debut before running into Chimaev in Moscow. At this stage of his career, a run on the grappling circuit gives him plenty of matchups without the punishment of full MMA. Losing to the sport's most feared wrestler isn't the worst way to keep the lights on.