Khamzat Chimaev is being positioned as the next big thing at 185 pounds, a protracted process that has taken much longer than expected thanks to recurring medical issues. First it was a debilitating case of COVID-19, followed by a mysterious illness that bounced “Borz” from the UFC Saudi Arabia card last June.
So what’s changed between then and now?
Only Chimaev knows for sure, but former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker asked matchmakers to rebook the “Borz” bout so that he could derail the Chimaev hype train once and for all. In the process, Whittaker may once again establish himself as the next 185-pound title challenger (behind this ex-champ).
“Unfortunately, the business isn’t completely run on merit,” Whittaker said on his MMArcade podcast. “Chimaev is a hard fight, he’s obviously a big draw especially over there in Abu Dhabi. I think the UFC story-wise wants to see Chimaev get a shot at the champion. They want to see Chimaev at the top of the ladder, in that picture. But I love disrupting their plans. I love derailing their stories and that’s why I took the fight. You know I asked for the fight? Straight after last fight, I saw there was an Abu Dhabi card in October, so the timeline fits perfectly. I said I’ll fight Chimaev again, just make sure he turns out. I know that if I beat Chimaev there is nothing in my way of getting my belt back.”
After Chimaev bailed on their June booking, the 33 year-old Whittaker (26-7) went on to smash late replacement Ikram Aliskerov. That performance marked the second straight win for “The Reaper” following his unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 earlier this year in Anaheim.
As for Chimaev, now 30, he improved to 13-0 by capturing a majority decision win over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a short-notice fight at UFC 294 last fall in Abu Dhabi. “Borz” remains ranked at No. 11 in the middleweight division, despite his underwhelming resume at 185 pounds.