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Presently Gilbert Burns is the No.1 contender for the UFC Welterweight Championship. ‘Durinho’ was to compete on Fight Island after jumping 5 spots in the rankings after trouncing Tyron Woodley. However, he pulled out after contracting the coronavirus and retains his hard-earned shot. However, UFC President Dana White broached a surprising name to fight Kamaru Usman. 

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In a chat with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, the UFC President addressed newcomer Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance. Furthermore, he revealed that he was looking to book ‘Borz’ for an August fight card. 

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“The kid’s legit and he’s real and he knows it and I love it. 192-2 in 2 fights. Yea, I mean he said he wanted to fight and I said done, I’ll make it happen.”

Dana White says Khamzat Chimaev wants to fight August

‘Borz’ wants to capitalize on his momentum and requested a fight in August. White said, “He wants to fight now in August and I’m gonna get him what he wants.”

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However, the identity of Chimaev’s opponent is a mystery. Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman featured in the conversation as ‘Borz’ said he want champion.” 

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The UFC President said, “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. We’re sitting in here this morning trying to figure out what we think is next. You know, this kid, he’s ready to fight Usman. Is he ready for Usman? Who knows? Maybe.”

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Ranked contenders like Leon Edwards are unable to jump the queue to fight for the title. Meanwhile, despite Chimaev’s momentum, the fact remains that he has had only 2 UFC fights. Out of these only one has come at Welterweight.

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Furthermore, he is yet to ply his trade against a ranked contender, but should he progress in this stead, a ranked opponent may not be too far away.  

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Khamzat Chimaev has hit the ground running. Ideally, he should register multiple wins and form a huge streak to burst into the rankings. This will give him a platform to challenge the top fighters and eventually the king of the division.

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For now, though, it will be Burns to fight Usman. However, Dana White is not dismissing Chimaev vs Usman which in the minds of the MMA World is a fantasy fight at present. 

What do you make of Dana White’s views on Khamzat Chimaev?

Source: Brett Okamoto-Twitter

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Reubyn Coutinho

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Reubyn Coutinho is the Head of Fact-Checking Initiatives and Content Quality Lead at EssentiallySports, where he oversees editorial quality across multiple sports verticals. A Communication graduate, he’s spent over five years shaping the site’s evolution from a niche sports blog into an all-in-one news platform, mentoring more than 110 journalists, introducing data-driven article improvements, and developing editorial guidelines for global audiences. Across his career at ES, Reubyn has worked as a writer, editor, and senior editor, covering everything from UFC, WWE, and boxing to F1, NFL, NBA, and tennis. His bylines include exclusive interviews with former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and Miesha Tate, as well as combat sports stars Marcus Almeida and Sage Northcutt. Known for his meticulous eye, he regularly resolves headline debates, revisits trending pieces using live analytics, and sets the standard for high-quality sports reporting. Outside of sports media, Reubyn is an active film critic, contributing reviews and festival coverage to Netflix Junkie, where he’s covered events such as MAMI, Venice, and NYAFF. Whether he’s breaking down a championship fight or a Hitchcock classic, his work comes with deep research with a pure love for sport.

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