It is not easy to face top contenders in UFC, let alone make a jump from unranked opponents to facing a top 3 fighter. Swedish fighter, Khamzat Chimaev did just that this past weekend and proved his naysayers wrong.
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He now stands near the top of the welterweight division. Chimaev performed admirably against Burns and now recent updates suggest the lead-up to Gilbert Burns’s fight wasn’t at all easy for Chimaev.
Speaking with ESPN MMA’s journalist, Megan Olivi, Daniel Cormier revealed the real reason behind Chimaev’s struggle. The UFC star indeed faced his greatest adversary yet and wasn’t at his best. Talking about the fight and why he thinks ‘Borz’ was not at his best. DC said, “Here is another thing, that we are not really talking about much in terms of Khamzat…Khamzat is a Muslim, he’s a Muslim man.”
Read More: The Early Career of Khamzat Chimaev Before UFC and MMA
“He’s fasting all day and taking on the biggest fight of his entire career this weekend. I had a guy that lived with me, and he could barely train wrestling. So to train and prepare for a high-level fight right now speaks to the type of savage that Khamzat Chimaev really is.”
Who should Khamzat Chimaev face next?
With a big win against a former title challenger on his resume, Khamzat Chimaev has arrived in the welterweight division. UFC president Dana White also already showcased his interest in booking him against Colby Covington. This match-up could truly test his skills both as a wrestler, and cardio against yet another elite athlete.
Imago
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 19: Khamzat Chimaev of Chechnya celebrates after his knockout victory over Gerald Meerschaert in their middleweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 19, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
If he can somehow find a way to best the former interim champion, then nothing can stop him from facing Kamaru Usman next. The welterweight kingpin has battered every challenger he has faced inside the octagon thus far. Aside from the two challenging title defenses against Covington, Usman has been on an impressive roll.
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It would be quite interesting to see the Nigerian Nightmare go head to head against a new contender in 2023. Undoubtedly, this would perhaps serve as the biggest fight in welterweight the promotion has seen in the modern era.
