Claiming he would return to the welterweight limit in pursuit of a title fight should he eventually strike middleweight gold, Khamzat Chimaev has claimed he would likely think twice about a light heavyweight rise as long as Brazilian kingpin, Alex Pereira remains — admitting the latter could likely stop him with strikes.
Chimaev, the current number thirteen ranked middleweight challenger, is slated to co-headline UFC 308 this weekend in Abu Dhabi, taking on former undisputed champion, Robert Whittaker in the pair’s potential title eliminator, following a prior failed matchup last June.
![Sean Strickland slams Khamzat Chimaev in fiery speech about American values: 'You [sold] your soul to a terrorist dictator'](https://www.lowkickmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/MixCollage-09-Oct-2024-05-56-PM-1590-1024x536.jpg "Khamzat Chimaev unsure on future fight with UFC star Alex Pereira: 'The guy can knock me out' 2")
And sidelined since he took home a close, majority decision win over former undisputed welterweight champion and prior pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman last October in a short-notice matchup at UFC 294, Chimaev would improve to 13-0 as a professional.
Khamzat Chimaev weighs up potential clash with Alex Pereira after UFC 308
However, ahead of his pairing with Whittaker — with the duo vying for a middleweight title shot with a win, Chimaev, who expressed an interest in a potential return to welterweight, thought twice about calling for a charge against knockout artist, Pereira.
“Of course, I’ve always been open for that [a fight with Alex Pereira],” Khamzat Chimaev told Michael Bisping ahead of his return at UFC 308 this week. “So, I know stylistically, this match for me is much easier than other guys. “But in striking — I’m honest. I know the guy can knock me out. You know. The guy is a good striker, one of the best guys, has one of the hardest punches.”
“But I’m one of the best grappler-based wrestlers, he’s not that,” Khamzat Chimaev explained. “So, yeah [it would be an interesting fight], of course.”
Most recently headlining UFC 307 earlier this annum, former two-weight champion, Pereira landed his third successful defense of the light heavyweight throne this year alone, with a bloody knockout win over challenger, Khalil Rountree with a fourth round knockout in Salt Lake City, Utah.