Khamzat Chimaev has a UFC champion may very well be dangerous for enterprise.
After racking up wins in opposition to Gilbert Burns, Kevin Holland, Kamaru Usman, and Robert Whittaker, ‘Borz’ will look to money in on his long-awaited title alternative on August 16 when he challenges reigning and defending middleweight king, Dricus du Plessis. The 2 will headline a stacked UFC 319 card, emanating from the United Heart in Chicago, Illinois.
Because it stands, Chimaev is a 2-to-1 favourite to depart ‘The Windy Metropolis’ with gold round his waist. Nevertheless, not everyone seems to be thrilled about doubtlessly seeing the undefeated Chechen monster win his first world title.
“Would Khamzat Chimaev profitable the belt be a catastrophe for the division?” Michael Bisping stated throughout a current episode of his Imagine You Me podcast. “I obtained to agree that so far as promotion-wise, yeah, it may very well be, proper?”
“Till we see him struggle extra recurrently, then it’s a query,” fighter turned analyst Paul Felder added. “It’s a drawback.”
Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene in 2020, profitable three fights within the span of eight weeks. However simply when it appeared like ‘Borz’ was on the fast-track to superstardom, an particularly nasty bout with COVID-19 halted his momentum. The sickness was reportedly so dangerous that Chimaev thought-about retiring from the game altogether.
Luckily, that didn’t occur, however his appearances have been few and much between since.
Khamzat Chimaev returns to United States for first time in 3 years at UFC 319
2022 was the final time Chimaev fought greater than as soon as in a calendar 12 months. Moreover, ‘Borz’ has not competed within the U.S. since UFC 279, when Chimaev’s notorious eight-pound weight miss pressured the promotion to fully rework the highest of the cardboard 24 hours earlier than Battle Night time.
Assuming there’s no last-minute withdrawal — additionally a typical prevalence with Chimaev — the Chechen will make his return to america in only a few brief weeks.
But when ‘Borz’ finally ends up bowing out attributable to one other medical concern, surging contender Reinier de Ridder will probably be very happy to step in on brief discover.
