Amid recent links to a massive light heavyweight move in pursuit of a title, Khamzat Chimaev has been backed by former-foe, Robert Whittaker to take on UFC megastar, Alex Pereira next — with the Auckland native intrigued to see how the pairing plays out.
Chimaev, the current number three ranked middleweight challenger, most recently featured at UFC 308 back in October, landing a one-sided win over former champion, Whittaker — stopping the fan-favorite with a devastating opening round face crank submission win in the pair’s rescheduled co-headliner.
And as for Brazilian star, Alex Pereira, the former two-weight champion has been out of action himself since the beginning of that month, turning in his own brutal win over championship chaser, Khalil Rountree — stopping the challenger with an eventual fourth round knockout in the main event of UFC 308.
Robert Whittaker weighs up Khamzat Chimaev’s chances against Alex Pereira
Missing out on a middleweight title shot to former champion, Sean Strickland who fights the incumbent, Dricus du Plessis at UFC 312 in a main event bout in February, Chimaev has since been linked with another division move — as high as 205lbs in a charge against Alex Pereira, which ex-champion, Whittaker is interested to see.
“I saw a rumor that (Khamzat) Chimaev might go up and fight (Alex) Pereira – imagine that,” Robert Whittaker said on the MMArcade podcast. Chimaev [wins] easily – maybe not easily – but Chimaev [wins] though… Unless the heavyweight strength changes his dynamic, Chimaev would get the takedown. He’s good at what he does and that plays into his strengths.
Robert Whittaker believes Khamzat Chimaev would beat Alex Pereira if they fought:
“But let’s say hypothetically Chimaev slows down… [Pereira] will kill Chimaev in the standup.”
@MMArcadePodcast #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/9JqtzJM2bK
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 20, 2024
“But let’s say hypothetically, Chimaev slows down and gasses a little bit, Pereira won’t, and he can strike in his sleep… He’ll kill Chimaev in the standup, it won’t be like that Usman-Chimaev fight where Usman was out-boxing him, it’d be a slaughter.”
Further fuel was added to the fire on a potential pairing between Pereira and Chimaev — after the Brazilian knockout artist axed a potential grudge fight with the surging, Magomed Ankalaev next, claiming he would be fighting a different opponent first.