Seeing a slew of scheduled showdowns with Leon Edwards fall to the wayside through 2020, undefeated welterweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev has issued a warning to the current division champion, clamoring for his premier title offing under the UFC banner in his Octagon return.
Chimaev, the current #4 ranked welterweight contender, improved to 12-0 as a professional back in September of last year in the co-main event of UFC 279, submitting Kevin Holland in a dominant opening round D’Arce choke submission success.
As for Edwards, the Birmingham native turned in his second career win over former pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman back in March at UFC 286, successfully defending the welterweight title in the pair’s trilogy title rubber-match.
Slated to fight Chimaev on three separate occasions between December 2020, and March of 2021 – illness for both fighters forced the bout’s postponement and ultimate cancellation.
Khamzat Chimaev has been tipped to make his return at UFC 294 in October
And preparing for an expected middleweight division climb in his much-rumored Octagon return in October – Chimaev, who has been linked with a spot on the upcoming UFC 294 pay-per-view card in Abu Dhabi, UAE, has called for fights with the above-mentioned, Usman, middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya – and claimed he was “ready’ to fight Edwards too.
“I want to fight for the title, so for me it doesn’t matter which weight class,” Khamzat Chimaev said on his YouTube channel. “I can go [170 pounds], but i don’t want to make weight for a nobody at [170 pounds], why am i going to do that? I’m number three – actually, that number for me is nothing. I feel I’m the king of this weight class and I’m the king of [185 pounds] as well.”
“So, just give me a title shot,” Khamzat Chimaev explained. “I’m ready for both. I’m ready for (Kamaru) Usman. I’m ready Leon (Edwards), I’m ready for Israel (Adesanya). Doesn’t matter. I’m ready for everybody. Just ask Dana (White) when I say no. Never. I want to fight I am the best, and when you feel you’re the best you have to fight with the best, everyone.”