Chimaev tore ligament in hand at UFC 294

Khamzat Chimaev suffered a torn ligament in his right hand during his win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 on Oct. 21, his manager Majdi Shammas told ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

The middleweight contender edged out Usman, a former welterweight champion, by majority decision in the co-main event bout in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Chimaev said afterward he thought he broke his hand in the first round.

Shammas said Chimaev will wear a brace for the next four weeks and then reassess the injury. As of now, surgery is not required to repair the ligament.

Chimaev, who debuted in the 185-pound rankings this past week at No. 9, is expected to challenge Sean Strickland for the UFC middleweight championship next.

"Borz" dominated Usman with grappling in the first round, but the other two rounds were more competitive. Usman managed to stay on his feet for long stretches and landed big punches. Usman stepped in on 10 days' notice after Paulo Costa was ruled out due to injury.

Chimaev was immediately considered a budding star - both at middleweight and welterweight - when he debuted in the UFC in 2020. His last three fights before facing Usman were at 170 pounds. Chimaev holds a 7-0 UFC record and is 13-0 as a pro.