Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
Top ranked middleweight Darren Till told Khamzat Chimaev he will get to face the ‘boy boys’ soon.
Khamzat Chimaev is MMA’s current cause celebre, having dispatched with three opponents in relative ease during just two months of service aboard Fight Island. The first time we saw Chimaev smesh was in July when he beat John Phillips with a d’arce choke. After that he TKO’d Rhys McKee and KO’d Gerald Meerschaert.
Before he beat Meerschaert UFC President Dana White was talking Chimaev up as a special talent. Chimaev himself added to the hype, saying he was ready and willing to challenge for belts at either welterweight or middleweight.
After beating Meerschaert Chimaev was rumoured to be facing a top ranked welterweight next, in a five-round main event. Former UFC welterweight title challengers Demian Maia and Stephen Thompson were mentioned as possible opponents.
However, it seems those fighters aren’t that interested in taking on the unranked Chechen. Online Chimaev claimed that both Thompson and former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman had turned down fights with him.
Another ranked welterweight Michael Chiesa said it wasn’t ‘smart business’ to take on Chimaev at this stage of his career. Though, ‘Maverick’ made it clear he didn’t think anyone in the promotion feared the undefeated 8-0 fighter.
One ranked fighter who doesn’t seem afraid of doing not-so-smart business is Darren Till. The 6th ranked middleweight took to Twitter to tell Chimaev he would be ready to fight him, after his scheduled bout with the 4th ranked Jack Hermansson in December.
Rankings have never mattered in the @Ufc@KChimaev after I destroy jack in December, if you are still struggling to get a match.
I’ll give you a go at the big boys son!!!— D (@darrentill2) October 10, 2020
“Rankings have never mattered in [the UFC],” wrote Till. “[Khamzat Chimaev] after I destroy [Hermansson] in December, if you are still struggling to get a match. I’ll give you a go at the big boys son!!!”
Till vs. Hermansson is scheduled to headline a UFC fight night at the APEX facility on December 5th. If it goes ahead that will be Till’s first fight since losing to Robert Whittaker, by decision, on Fight Island in July. Before that loss Till beat Kelvin Gastelum by split decision to halt a two fight losing skid.
Hermansson beat Gastelum by heel hook in just over a minute last time out. Prior to that he lost to Jared Cannonier, which broke up a four fight winning streak.