Observations from du Plessis's Training Camp
Chimaev's grappling reputation extends well beyond his recorded competition performances. On October 5, 2025, Joe Rogan relayed observations made by Brendan Schaub on The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show, drawn from Schaub's time watching Chimaev train during Dricus du Plessis's training camp. Schaub described Chimaev systematically dominating Division I All-American wrestlers, world-class grapplers, and BJJ black belts across those sessions. Notably, Schaub reported declining an invitation to spar himself after witnessing the level of control Chimaev displayed.
Independent Corroboration
Michael Page provided independent corroboration from his own training experience with Chimaev in Dubai, describing a level of grappling control he characterized as overwhelming. While these accounts are anecdotal and derive from training environments rather than formal competition, they align consistently with Chimaev's documented record of submitting black belts under competitive pressure. Taken together, the training-room observations reported on October 5, 2025 reinforce a picture of a fighter whose grappling ability operates at a level that resists easy categorization within conventional belt-rank frameworks.