Khamzat Chimaev‘s debut in the big show was such that UFC president Dana White said he was “one of the most special fighters I’ve ever seen, if not the most special.” Former champ champ and current commentator Daniel Cormier predicted, In 2021, Khamzat Chimaev is the double champ, 170 and 185.
The former BRAVE CF contender tore through a standard UFC three-fight contract in unparalleled, record-setting fashion. He was hit just twice in his first three league fights, and both were in his debut. And the number of shots it takes “Borz” to win is decreasing, as the level of competition increases. He stopped his first opponent after 124 punches at middleweight, the second after 68 punches at welterweight, and the third opponent, back at middleweight, with just four punches.
A fight with then #6 ranked and now #3 ranked welterweight Leon Edwards was scheduled for December, but Edwards tested positive for COVID-19. The bout was rescheduled for January, and this time Chimaev tested positive. Now the two are scheduled to fight in the main event of a UFC Fight Night on March 13, 2021. With a win, Chimaev gets a title shot.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, Edwards said Chimaev would get not a win, but a rude awakening. “Rocky” said the UFC was in for a wake up call too.
“They probably want to push this kid up, trying to rush him, right? Like they do everyone else. They’re trying to get him a big win under his belt, trying to push him towards the title, probably. So that’s probably why they’re trying to keep the fight going,” said Edwards. “But they’re in for a rude awakening come March 13th, and I cannot wait to get my title shot after this.
I think the guy’s record of people who he’s fought is like 6-10 or something, all together, all the record that they’ve put together in the UFC. I’m on an eight-fight win streak alone in the UFC. Opponent-wise, there’s levels. You cannot compare me to no one that he’s fought in his career.
Edwards wasn’t off by much in his 6-10 calculation. Chimaev’s first opponent, John Phillips, is 1-5 in the UFC, second opponent Rhys McKee is 0-2, and third opponent Gerald Edward Meerschaert is 6-6, for a total of 7-13.
There’s being confident, then there’s being deluded. It’s two different things,” said Edwards. “I’ve never been deluded. I think he’s deluded. And obviously, if everyone blows smoke up your ass, then you’re gonna start believing it. And if that’s all it is and everyone blows smoke up his ass that he’s the best thing since sliced bread, so you’re gonna start believing it. I think that’s all it is.
“He just talks just to talk. If he’s judging me on the Usman fight which is like five, six years ago, then he’s in for a rude awakening, I’ll tell you that. What’s he got to offer, really? I think he’s a novice for what he does. The shots he throws, the technique he uses is quite novice.”
I’m going out there for the finish. I feel like I need to get a finish to prove my case, to make a stronger case for the world title. So, I’m going out there for a finish. I’m going out there to test everything that he’s about. So, I’m looking to finish.
For me, I think for a while I was fighting just to prove myself. Cause people some would go, ‘you can’t go five rounds’. So, I would fight to fight five rounds. ‘You can’t wrestle’. So, I was like fine, so I can wrestle. Each fight I was trying to prove a case in each fight. This fight I’m just going to go out there and be myself and go out there and just dominate. And it’s been a while now that I’ve gotten like that. I want to fight, I want to go out there and compete. So, I’m going to be looking to be aggressive and look for the finish and test everything he’s about and get that victory.
If I beat Khamzat I believe I get a title shot, from what I’ve heard. So, after I go out there and beat him, I should fight the winner of Usman and Burns. Which is like a month apart, right? So, it’s perfect timing for me to step in and fight for the world title.
What do you think UG, who takes the main event on March 6? And what happens after that?
