Joe Rogan Reacts To Khamzat Chimaev Getting 'Real' Middleweight Fight At UFC Saudi Arabia: 'Whittaker's A Big Dude...'

Longtime UFC color commentator Joe Rogan is pleased to have seen Khamzat Chimaev booked in a "real" test at 185 pounds.

Having initially broken into contention at welterweight, Chimaev's struggles on the scale in 2022 saw him return to the middleweight division last October at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.

While he was originally slated to do battle with an established fighter at that weight in Paulo Costa, his forced withdrawal saw ex-welterweight champion Kamaru Usman move up for a short-notice battle opposite "Borz."

Chimaev got his hand raised on the scorecards and debuted in the 185-pound rankings. A recent announcement confirmed that the Chechen-born fighter will have the chance to further climb the ladder and stake his claim for a title shot this summer.

On June 22, the UFC's postponed debut in Saudi Arabia will go down, and topping the lineup will be Chimaev and former champ Robert Whittaker.

Among many others, one of the sport's most recognizable personalities is intrigued by the booking...

Rogan: Chimaev Facing 'Real 185er' In Whittaker

During a recent episode of his podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience, the longtime color commentator reacted to confirmation of the main event for the UFC's debut event in Saudi Arabia.

Having seen Chimaev break into the rankings at middleweight with a narrow win over the divisional debuting Usman, Rogan is excited to see "Borz" have his credentials in the weight class tested against a "legit" 185lber like Whittaker.

"This one, Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev in Saudi Arabia. That one is gonna be f*ckin' wild. That's a wild one. That is a wild fight," Rogan said. "Whittaker vs. Khamzat is legit. That's a real fight. That's a real fight for Khamzat, because's Whittaker's a big dude, he's a big, beefy (middleweight), former champion. That's a real 185er, as opposed to — they gave him Kamaru Usman and Kamaru didn't have a chance to prepare for that.

"This is a big one. This is Robert Whittaker with plenty of time to prepare, a guy who is just as legit as they get, just beat Paulo Costa," Rogan added.

Given the manner of his win over Usman, who answered the call for UFC 294 on less than two weeks' notice, many appear skeptical about Chimaev's chances against those high up the middleweight ladder.

The Chechen-born star now has a huge chance to prove his detractors wrong against a former champion who has long been a heavy presence in the title conversation at 185 pounds.