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Reinier De Ridder Targets Adesanya vs. Imavov Winner, Calls Out Khamzat and Whittaker

Reinier De Ridder Targets Adesanya vs. Imavov Winner, Calls Out Khamzat and Whittaker Just two fights into his UFC tenure and Reinier de Ridder is ready for one of the big guns….

Just two fights into his UFC tenure and Reinier de Ridder is ready for one of the big guns.

The former two-division ONE world champion secured a dominant win over Kevin Holland at UFC 311 in Los Angeles, moving to 2-0 inside the Octagon.

While he is yet to break into the middleweight rankings, that isn’t stopping ‘The Dutch Knight’ from aiming for one of its highest-ranking contenders. During his appearance at the post-fight press conference on Saturday, De Ridder called for a clash with either Robert Whittaker or the next man in line for a shot at the 185-pound crown, Khamzat Chimaev.

‘RDR’ also left the door open for a potential scrap with the winner of next month’s middleweight clash between Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov.

“Khamzat and Whittaker,” De Ridder, 34, said. “Khamzat will be cool for a grapplers’ matchup, would be cool for all that he’s done. Please, I hope they give me this, it would be amazing. I can be ready as soon as they are. Israel and Imavov will fight soon, as well, one of them would work, too. I can be back in the gym next week.”

Reinier de ridder may be aiming a little too high for his third UFC appearance

Adesanya vs. Imavov will headline the UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia on February 1. As for Chimaev, the undefeated Chechen monster is tipped to take on the winner of UFC 312’s main event rematch between defending middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland.

Overall, Reinier de Ridder is 19-2 in his mixed martial arts career, both of his losses coming against ONE Championship’s former three-division titleholder Anatoly Malykhin. De Ridder surrendered both the ONE light heavyweight and middleweight titles to the Russian juggernaut before exiting the promotion in pursuit of UFC gold.

What’s next for De Ridder is anyone’s guess, but following his dominant performance in Los Angeles, it’s clear that fight fans are excited to see just how far the Dutchman can go on MMA’s biggest stage.

Khamzat Chimaev Shares His Unfiltered Opinion On Islam Makhachev’s Potential Move To Middleweight

Khamzat Chimaev has given a candid take on the prospect of Islam Makhachev making a leap to higher weight classes down the line. Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Renato Moicano in the headline bout of Saturday’s UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Originally, the Dagestani champion was set to make […]

Khamzat Chimaev has given a candid take on the prospect of Islam Makhachev making a leap to higher weight classes down the line.

Makhachev will defend his lightweight title against Renato Moicano in the headline bout of Saturday’s UFC 311 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Originally, the Dagestani champion was set to make his fourth title defense against Arman Tsarukyan, but just a day before the fight, “Ahalkalakets” was forced to withdraw due to a back injury.

The reigning UFC 155-pound champion has long voiced his desire to become a two-division champion by moving up a weight class, vowing not to retire until he achieves this goal. However, standing in the way of Makhachev’s quest for a second UFC title is welterweight champ Belal Muhammad.

Despite this, Makhachev has made it clear that he would steer clear of a clash with “Remember the Name” due to their shared respect. Makhachev’s manager has even hinted that, if necessary, his client could bypass welterweight altogether and leap straight to middleweight in the future to claim ‘champ-champ’ status.

During a recent interview with Aslanbek Badaev, “Borz” weighed in on the possibility of Makhachev making the leap to the 185-pound division. Chimaev offered a measured response, stating that if anyone was truly capable of climbing weight classes and dominating, it would be UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov.

“Well if Islam wants to, and Abdelaziz wants, let him go and try, Chimaev said. “I don’t know. i can’t give an asnwer about Islam now as I haven’t trained with him. Maybe it’s possible, maybe not. I anyone could move [and complete] at 170 or 185 [pounds], it would be Khabib. As for Islam, if have many doubts becuase of his last fight at 155. It was tough for him. Although I had a tough fightwith Gilbert Buns [at 170], then I moved up to 185 and it was easier [to fight] there. Maybe Islam will have the same situation. He might move up and it will become much esasier. Well only the Octagon can show.”

Makhachev is on an impressive 14-fight win streak, with his latest victory coming at UFC 303 in June 2024. There, he secured a gritty fifth-round submission over Dustin Poirier to successfully retain his title.

Khamzat Chimaev Should Face Bo Nickal Rather Than Fighting For a Title Explains UFC Veteran

Khamzat Chimaev really should face Bo Nickal rather than fighting for the UFC middleweight title, at least according to…

Khamzat Chimaev really should face Bo Nickal rather than fighting for the UFC middleweight title, at least according to one former UFC contender. Chael Sonnen, UFC veteran and current MMA analyst, has sparked debate by advocating for a blockbuster matchup between rising star Bo Nickal and UFC middleweight juggernaut Khamzat Chimaev. While Sonnen’s enthusiasm for the fight is palpable, many fans and analysts believe that Nickal is still far behind Chimaev in terms of experience and skill.

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Bo Nickal

“Bo Nickal versus Khamzat Chimaev,” Sonnen said in a recent interview. “There is nothing I enjoy speaking about more than what would happen with Bo and Khamzat. And I don’t just want to talk about the fight or three rounds versus five rounds.”

“I want the specifics,” Sonnen continued, “Who’s going to go for the takedown, and who’s going to get the other one. Are they going to go for a double leg? Is it going to be over-under? I like that entire argument. Which one is going to get tired first? Which one is going to try the takedown first? Everything about Bo versus Khamzat is exciting for me. Somebody’s ‘O’ has got to go—that line never stopped working in sports.”

The matchup, as Sonnen frames it, would pit two undefeated middleweights with elite wrestling pedigrees against each other in a highly technical grappling battle. However, critics point out that Nickal, who transitioned to MMA in 2022, is still developing his overall skillset. Despite his rapid ascent and top ranking in the UFC middleweight division, Nickal’s level of opposition has not approached the caliber of Chimaev’s. Although, the US-born athlete does come from a storied collegiate wrestling career.

Khamzat Chimaev has built a reputation as one of the most dominant and well-rounded fighters in the division. He is widely seen as next in line for a middleweight title shot. The UFC’s middleweight championship picture will likely become clearer once reigning champion Dricus du Plessis defends his belt against former titleholder Sean Strickland in an anticipated clash later this year.

While Sonnen’s excitement over the hypothetical fight is contagious, many in the MMA community argue that the timing isn’t right. With Chimaev already on the cusp of title contention, pitting him against the still-rising Nickal could stall the momentum of one of the UFC’s most marketable stars.

For now, Sonnen’s proposed showdown remains a tantalizing “what if” scenario. But as both fighters continue to climb the ranks of the middleweight division, the possibility of a future clash may not be as far-fetched as it seems.

Colby Covington Calls Khamzat Chimaev a Quitter and a Steroid Abuser: “He’s not that good.”

Colby Covington has taken aim at rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev, calling him a “quitter” and accusing him of…

Colby Covington has taken aim at rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev, calling him a “quitter” and accusing him of steroid abuse. Covington, who had a challenging year in 2024, made the comments during an interview, questioning Chimaev’s skills and credibility.

Colby Covington Scorches Khamzat Chimaev

“I wanted that fight for a long time. He ran from the fight, he couldn’t make weight, he was just unprofessional,” Covington said, speaking to Submission Radio. “The guy was juiced, and he quit. The guy was freaking retiring to the common cold. I’m not going to be afraid of someone who’s retiring to the common cold.”

Covington’s comments come amid a tough go for the fighter, who has suffered two consecutive losses, including a third-round TKO defeat to Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa on December 14, 2024. Despite the setbacks, Colby Covington remained outspoken, as he has often been throughout his UFC career.

While Covington has been struggling in recent bouts, Chimaev has been on a tear. The undefeated middleweight contender made headlines with his dominant first-round submission victory over former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024. This win pushed ‘Borz‘ Khamzat Chimaev to the #3 spot in the UFC middleweight rankings and extended his professional record to 14-0.

However, Covington believes Chimaev’s success may be short-lived if he faces the right opponent. “I know I can stop his takedowns and it becomes a striking fight,” Covington stated. ” I don’t know if his cardio can hang for five rounds. We saw in the Gilbert [Burns] fight how Gilbert exposed his cardio. He doesn’t have good cardio. If you can stuff those takedowns in the first or second round, get him to deep waters, he’s not that good of a fighter.”

Covington emphasized that if Chimaev is unable to execute early takedowns, his opponents would have a chance to defeat him. “If he’s able to get you down in that first takedown, in that first minute or two, yeah, then he’s dangerous, because then he can implement his will on you,” Covington continued. “But if you can stuff those first couple of takedowns, he becomes human, and he becomes a very beatable guy.”

Khamzat Chimaev is most likely going to be fighting for a UFC middleweight title in his next bout against the winner of Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland. The welterweight Colby Covington currently has no booked fights.

Khamzat Chimaev Is Not Ready to Fight For a Title Yet Claims Former UFC Contender

The question of Khamzat Chimaev’s next fight has sparked a debate among former UFC fighters turned analysts. Chael Sonnen…

The question of Khamzat Chimaev’s next fight has sparked a debate among former UFC fighters turned analysts. Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier have voiced contrasting opinions on whether the undefeated phenom is ready for a title shot or should face rising star Bo Nickal.

Next for Khamzat Chimaev?

Former UFC title contender Chael Sonnen believes the UFC should match Khamzat Chimaev against Bo Nickal, a fellow undefeated prospect, instead of immediately pushing him toward a championship opportunity.

“Chimaev’s undefeated. Bo’s undefeated. Chimaev’s good with the wrestling. Bo’s good with the wrestling,” Sonnen said on a podcast. “Chimaev’s got a bunch of fans, and Bo’s an up-and-comer and a future title contender. Check, check, and check for Bo. I don’t know why we’re keeping them apart. When you’ve got guys under contract, make the fights you can make while you can make them. Those contracts exhaust and run out when you try to build a fight too slowly.”

Bo Nickal, a three-time NCAA wrestling champion, has been on a meteoric rise in the middleweight division since his UFC debut in March 2023. With a perfect 4-0 record in the UFC, including three finishes, Nickal’s performances have positioned him as one of the most promising talents in the sport.

On the other hand, former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier argues that Chimaev’s recent dominance justifies an immediate title shot.

“Fill in whoever is the middleweight champion. It’s going to either be [Sean] Strickland or [Dricus Du Plessis],” Cormier stated on his YouTube channel. “One of those two guys needs to fight Khamzat Chimaev. We have got to know, right? It’s too hard to live in the unknown for this long. … He beat Robert Whittaker—that’s enough for me. When you can do what he did to Rob, that’s enough. Give me Chimaev. Give me the DDP-Strickland winner.”

Khamzat Chimaev debuted in the UFC in 2020 and has remained undefeated with a record of 7-0. Known for his grappling and relentless aggression, he recently secured back-to-back victories over Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker. His dominant first-round submission win against Whittaker has further fueled calls for a title shot.

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It’s just been just shy of three weeks since Joaquin Buckley busted up Colby Covington in the most recent UFC fight. As is often the case when the promotion…