Khamzat Chimaev is not a fan of a potential Usman vs. Blachowicz fight.
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman recently spoke to GQ about a host of issues. Among the topics that came up was Usman’s immediate future in the UFC. And the Nigerian Nightmare said he was considering opportunities outside of his home division.
“I was going to skip Israel and go fight Jan at 205 [pounds],” he revealed. “Because I’m pound-for-pound, I want to prove it. No matter what weight it is, I thought he was a really good matchup for me.”
Usman likely isn’t considering moving up to middleweight since the belt is held by his friend, and fellow Nigerian, Israel Adesanya. Blachowicz was the light heavyweight champion until he was upset by Glover Teixeira last year. Blachowicz is currently scheduled to face Aleksander Rakic in March.
With Usman eyeing opportunities at heavier weights, one might assume that the champ feels like he has done all he needs to at 170 lbs. Usman has been unstoppable in his UFC career and has beaten a who’s who of welterweights in the promotion. His last five title defenses have come against Colby Covington (twice), Jorge Masvidal (twice) and Gilbert Burns.
One welterweight who Usman hasn’t faced is the surging prospect Khamzat Chimaev. And the Chechen-born Swede had a strong reaction to Usman’s interest in the light heavyweight division.
So your trying to change weight before I come for you? Don’t go anywhere I am coming! I smash you and burns in 2 mins believe me!
I’m THE KING here ? @USMAN84kg ??— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) January 27, 2022
“So your trying to change weight before I come for you?” he wrote on Twitter. “Don’t go anywhere I am coming! I smash you and [Gilbert Burns] in two minutes believe me!”
Chimaev has a 10-0 record and has impressed in the UFC thus far. He blew onto the scene in 2020 with three quick stoppage wins. After that his hype train was derailed by a prolonged battled with COVID-19.
Borz returned to the Octagon in October, defeating Li Jingliang by submission and proving he was ready for a step up in competition. Since then it has been rumoured that a fight between him and former challenger Burns is in the works.