In the Octagon, Khamzat Chimaev speaks the universal language of violence. But step outside the cage, and you’ll hear something just as sharp, his words.
The undefeated UFC star isn’t just fluent with his fists. He switches between languages like he switches levels in a takedown. It’s part of what makes him so unpredictable, both inside and outside the fight game. But which languages does ‘Borz’ actually speak? And how did he learn them all?
What is Khamzat Chimaev’s primary language?
To answer that, we need to start in the village of Gvardeyskoye, Chechnya. That’s where Khamzat Chimaev was born on May 1, 1994, back when it was part of the de facto independent Chechen Republic of Ichkeria.
‘Borz’ began his journey in the world of combat sports at a young age of five and displayed the potential of becoming a professional fighter from then on. Talking about his primary language, he speaks mainly Chechen as he was born in Chechnya. Adding to that, he also speaks Russian fluently and has displayed his linguistic mastery in multiple interviews in the past.
English, however, is the language most UFC fans recognize him by. Despite not growing up in an English-speaking country, Chimaev commands it well. It’s his go-to for post-fight interviews, press conferences, and those trash-talk moments that fuel rivalries.
Yet, there’s one more language in his bag, Swedish. Why? When he was around 19, he moved to Sweden with his mother, following the advice of his older brother. In an interview with ESPN, he explained, “My brother was doing [work] he and he told us, come here it’s good for us and our one brother Tahir, he has like surgery as well so, that [would help him] like when we come directly here. After that we stay[ed] here, we like[ed] it and they helped us a lot as well.”
After moving to Sweden and representing the country in his MMA career, Chimaev picked up the language fluently. His time there sharpened not only his fighting skills but also his vocabulary.
From Chechen to Russian, Swedish to English, ‘Borz’ built his linguistic arsenal the same way he built his fight game: through adaptability.
Borz can speak multiple languages!
So, how many languages are we talking about? At least four fluently: Chechen, Russian, Swedish, and English. But the list doesn’t stop there. According to some sources, the 31-year-old can speak Arabic as well. He also knows a bit of Mandarin and gave a glimpse of it ahead of his big return at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi.
Chimaev was scheduled to take on Li Jingliang, and things heated up at the pre-fight press conference. He corrected the Chinese fighter’s translator, hinting that he knew a bit of Mandarin as well. “I think you translate wrong, brother, he says he’s gonna eat me up!” said Chimaev during his UFC 267 pre-fight press conference.
That moment wasn’t just funny, it was proof that ‘Borz’ can surprise you in more ways than one. The ability to respond to fighters and reporters in their own language has made him even more marketable. For a sport that thrives on global audiences, that’s a weapon almost as valuable as a knockout punch.
Plenty of talented fighters have been held back by language barriers. Yet, Chimaev smashed through his. His fights bring fans in, and his words keep them listening.
Now, all eyes are on UFC 319, where Chimaev faces middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. The belt isn’t the only thing on the line. With his mix of fighting skills and multilingual charm, ‘Borz’ could cement himself as one of the UFC’s most recognizable and marketable global stars if he pulls off the victory!
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