Khamzat Chimaev has his eyes on the prize—and maybe a few more after that. The undefeated middleweight champion isn't just focused on defending his belt; he's already plotting a potential super-fight with Alex Pereira, a matchup that has fight fans buzzing across the globe.

But first things first: Chimaev has to get through Sean Strickland at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey, this weekend. It's a crucial test for the champion, who's made it clear that his ambitions stretch far beyond one weight class. "I just want big fights," Chimaev said during UFC 328 media day on Wednesday. "Alex Pereira, if he's gonna lose (against Gane), he's gonna come back down."

The story of Chimaev vs. Pereira isn't new. The two have traded words for months, with the Chechen powerhouse initially linked to a bout with the Brazilian when Pereira was still light heavyweight champion in late 2024. That fight never materialized, and since then, 'Poatan' has moved up to heavyweight. He's set to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title on June 14 at the UFC White House event—a historic opportunity to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles in three different divisions.

Chimaev isn't ruling out any path to that showdown. "If not, I'm gonna go to heavyweight. I need big names, big money," he added, hinting that he'd be willing to jump up a weight class himself to make the fight happen. After struggling with weight cuts during his welterweight run, Chimaev's focus has naturally shifted upward through the divisions, and he's made no secret of his desire to collect titles across multiple weight classes.

For now, though, all eyes are on Newark. Chimaev knows that talk of super-fights means nothing if he doesn't handle business against Strickland first. "First things first: he needs to handle business against Strickland if he wants any chance of defending his title even once," the champion acknowledged, keeping his focus locked on the immediate challenge ahead.

Whether it's a drop back to light heavyweight for Pereira or a bold leap to heavyweight for Chimaev, one thing is clear: the UFC's middleweight division is about to get a lot more interesting. And for fans looking to gear up for these potential blockbuster matchups, there's never been a better time to stock up on fight-ready apparel that matches the intensity of the octagon.