If you ever wondered what a grappling battle between young gun welterweight stars Khmazat Chimaev and Yaroslav Amosov might look like, then take a peek through this Tiger Muay Thai-looking glass.
Phuket, Thailand gym Tiger Muay Thai is quickly becoming the home base for serious elite-level MMA talent. It has long been the training home for UFC interim bantamweight champion Petr Yan, ranked lightweight Rafael Fiziev, and Bellator welterweight king Amosov. However, top-10 UFC welterweight Chimaev recently added his stellar talents to the impressive roster of athletes at the facility.
“Iron sharpens iron” has been a popular saying in combat sports for years, and one can only imagine how this assemblage of talent there are pushing each other to new heights in each training session. Many fans and media wish they could be a fly on the wall for a sparring session between Yan and Fiziev or a grappling battle between Amosov and Chimaev. Well, you now have a chance to see one of those two pairings.
Watch Khamzat Chimaev and Yaroslav Amosov go to war on the mats
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In a Tuesday post to his Instagram account, “Borz” showcased a video of him going toe-to-toe with his Ukrainian teammate. For those MMA fans that may have been under a rock the last two years, this is a worthwhile watch because these two are arguably the best grapplers in the entire 170-pound division. No matter the promotion.
Chimaev has barely been hit as he’s used his size and unbelievable wrestling to work his way into the UFC rankings as he stands on the cusp of superstardom and a possible title shot in 2022. “Dynamo” has quietly racked up a 26-0 record using a grinding grappling style that earned him the Bellator welterweight title in June, in a dominant win over three-time champion Douglas Lima.
The first thing that stands out in the footage is the size of Chimaev. It’s terrifying that the veteran middleweight can make the welterweight limit without issue. There is a clear strength advantage for the Chechen, but Amosov’s tenacious grappling is just as evident as the pair battled to a stalemate as the training round eventually comes to an end.
It’s fascinating to watch two elite talents in their weight class, but who are only just entering their prime with both still being in their 20s.
Chimaev is expected to face top-three welterweight and former title challenger Gilbert Burns in April. While Amosov will defend his newly won title for the first time against fan-favorite striker Michael Page in May.
If they actually faced off in the cage, who do you think would win in a fight between Chimaev and Amosov?
