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UFC star Kamaru Usman breaks down ‘Nothing special’ Khamzat Chimaev: ‘You build him up’

Former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman claims unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev is “nothing special” in the aftermath of…

Former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman claims unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev is “nothing special” in the aftermath of their UFC 294 clash back in October – insisting he would have beaten the Chechen if he tried a little more.

Usman, a former undisputed welterweight champion and prior pound-for-pound number one fighter under the promotion’s banner – has been sidelined from the Octagon since he co-headlined against the above-mentioned, Chimaev in October of last year, suffering his third consecutive loss.

With his controversial majority decision win, Chimaev improved to 13-0 as a professional, and sees him currently hold the number 11 rank in the official middleweight pile.

Khamzat Chimaev labelled a crybaby after attacking UFC boss Dana White over title fight — Manadatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

And while staking his claim for an elusive first title fight under the promotion’s banner, Chimaev has seen a championship tilt at the limit against newly-minted gold holder, Dricus du Plessis likely denied by promotional brass – with an offer floated to Israel Adesanya to compete for spoils next.

Kamaru Usman plays down Khamzat Chimaev’s ceiling

Backed by a slew of pundits and fans to eventually land Octagon gold, however, Chimaev’s skills and abilities have been called into question by Usman – who accused those who are “building” him up, are putting their backing behind a contender who is far from special.

“You get in those type of fights and those positions, where you build something up in your mind and in your head,” Kamaru Usman said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. “And everyone’s now – especially in this machine of the UFC, and MMA, you build him (Khamzat Chimaev) up in your head. Then you get in [the Octagon], and – that wasn’t special.”

“That was nothing different than what I had seen [before],” Kamaru Usman explained. “Had I given it a little bit more, had I have given myself a little bit more credit, that would have turned out totally different.”

Claiming if he so wanted to he could very easily reclaim his welterweight title in the future, Auchi native, Usman also admitted he laments a failed middleweight title siege during the run of Sean Strickland – whom he already holds a decision win over.

Who do you want to see UFC star, Kamaru Usman fight next?

UFC ace Israel Adesanya backed to struggle with Khamzat Chimaev in future fight: ‘He’s not gonna win’

Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has been backed to struggle significantly with undefeated talent, Khamzat Chimaev in…

Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has been backed to struggle significantly with undefeated talent, Khamzat Chimaev in a future showdown – according to prior foe, Marvin Vettori, who claims the UFC star will likely lose to any top five contender in his Octagon return.

Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight champion under the promotion’s banner, has yet to return to competition since he headlined UFC 293 last September, setting an unwanted record in a unanimous decision loss to Sean Strickland, subsequently becoming the first fighter in promotional history to lose their championship belt twice in a calendar year.

Israel Adesanya eyes title rematch with Sean Strickland mocks title loss again what a reign

However, linked with another immediate charge at gold despite his loss to now-former titleholder, Strickland, City Kickboxing striker, Adesanya was offered a headliner at UFC 300 next month against new champion, Dricus du Plessis – a bout the South African ultimately admitted he turned down due to lingering injuries.

Israel Adesanya’s ability called into question amid layoff

Sharing his thoughts on Adesanya’s expected comeback later this year, Vettori, a two-time foe of the former – who himself headlines UFC Vegas 90 against Brendan Allen, claimed the ex-champion would be beaten by Chimaev – as well as any other contender at 185 pounds worth their salt.

“Izzy (Israel Adesanya) will lose any fight,” Marvin Vettori told The Schmo during a recent interview. “If he comes back, he’s not going to win any fight, I will tell you this. In the top three or four, he’s not gonna win any fights. I don’t think he’s going to beat Khamzat (Chimaev), either. I don’t think so. He’s gonna get taken down, I think.”

“He comes back, he’s gonna lose, I think,” Vettori explained. “They’re gonna tell me I’m a hater and sh*t, but it’s true – the game is evolving so fast. The grappling level is just evolving, getting higher and higher and I think he can’t hang. Taking a year off now, it’s a lot.”

Himself sidelined since last October, unbeaten challenger, Chimaev has been out of action since he landed a close, majority decision win over former undisputed welterweight kingpin, Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 in a short-notice clash.

Who wins in a future clash: Israel Adesanya or Khamzat Chimaev?

Robert Whittaker knocks back potential fight with UFC star Khamzat Chimaev: ‘That doesn’t move me’

Targeting a return to the Octagon later this year following his impressive decision win over former title challenger, Paulo…

Targeting a return to the Octagon later this year following his impressive decision win over former title challenger, Paulo Costa at UFC 298 last month, former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker has stressed his desire to fight Sean Strickland – rather than the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev next.

Whittaker, who moved to number three in the official middleweight pile off the back of his decision win over Belo Horizonte native, Costa in their UFC 298 main card clash, returned to the winner’s enclosure following a knockout loss to newly-crowned divisional gold holder, Dricus du Plessis back in July of last year.

And staking his claim for a title-eliminator in his comeback, Whittaker has welcomed the chance to fight the aforenoted, Strickland – potentially as soon as August in a return to Perth, Australia.

“I’m angling towards the gold,” Robert Whittaker said during an appearance on the MMArcade Podcast. “I wanna reclaim my belt, you know. And I would love to run it back with Dricus (du Plessis) – especially ‘cause he’s got the gold as well, so it’s two-in-one, right?”

“But I do understand that (Sean) Strickland is in – is in line, like in the sights a little bit,” Robert Whittaker explained. “Everyone’s talking about him a lot, he’s at the top. And that kinda gives me the path to the gol that I’m longing for. So, I’m not really fussed on the opponent at the moment.”

Robert Whittaker unsure on Khamzat Chimaev fight next

Weighing up the possibility of landing a fight with the unbeaten middleweight contender, Chimaev – Whittaker claimed that fighting down the rankings does very little – if nothing for him in his return this summer.

“[The Khamzat Chimaev fight] is tricky because that doesn’t move me,” Robert Whittaker said. “It does in clout, but it doesn’t move me higher up in the rankings. Beating (Sean) Strickland puts me at number one again, and that’s as close as you can get really.”

Robert Whittaker seems to be more interested in a fight against Strickland than against Chimaev.

“[Khamzat fight] is tricky because that doesn’t move me. It does in clout, but it doesn’t move me higher up in the rankings.

Beating Strickland puts me at #1 again, and that’s as… pic.twitter.com/MjTt1M3uak

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 5, 2024

Do you want to see Robert Whittaker take on Khamzat Chimaev next?

Paulo Costa blasts UFC star Khamzat Chimaev, accuses him of ducking clash again: ‘He wants to fight easy fights’

Former undisputed middleweight title challenger, Paulo Costa has once more taken aim at arch-rival, Khamzat Chimaev, claiming the unbeaten…

Former undisputed middleweight title challenger, Paulo Costa has once more taken aim at arch-rival, Khamzat Chimaev, claiming the unbeaten Chechen wants to fight easier opponents than him, and accusing him of running from a long-anticipated showdown.

Costa, who slumped to number six in the official middleweight rankings earlier this month, snapped an almost two-year hiatus from the sport with a co-main event slot against former champion, Robert Whittaker at UFC 298.

And suffering his third professional loss, Belo Horizonte native, Costa was returned to the losing column in a decision defeat, following a prior decision win of his own over former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight kingpin, Luke Rockhold.

As for Chimaev, the unbeaten middleweight contender improved to 13-0 last October at UFC 294, turning in a close, debated majority decision win over former welterweight champion and prior pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman.

Paulo Costa takes aim at Khamzat Chimaev again

Reflecting on his failed pairing with the Chechen at UFC 294 last year, Costa again accused Chimaev of avoiding a fight with him, questioning the calibre of opponent the latter is willing to share the Octagon with.

“He (Khamzat Chimaev) needs to stop running,” Paulo Costa told Submission Radio during a recent interview. “He needs to have balls to face me. Yes, for a long time, long time, this guy avoided this fight. He has no balls. If the guys don’t push him, he has no balls to fight me.”

“He wants to fight easy fights, he wants to fight guys, you know, he don’t want to fight guys like me, (Robert) Whittaker, or somebody else like that,” Paulo Costa explained. “He wants to fight guys with no wrestling, no Jiu-Jitsu game, no grappling. You know, something like that.”

Do you think Paulo Costa will ever fight Khamzat Chimaev in the future?

Khamzat Chimaev eyeing summertime return, addresses rumors of a UFC 300 title fight with Leon Edwards

Khamzat Chimaev’s return to the Octagon is imminent. Fight fans last saw the undefeated Chechen monster in October when…

Khamzat Chimaev’s return to the Octagon is imminent.

Fight fans last saw the undefeated Chechen monster in October when he scored a majority decision victory over former welterweight world champion Kamaru Usman. Since then, rumors have been flying as to who he would face next.

In an interview ahead of this Saturday’s Fight Club Rush 19 event in Stockholm, Sweden ‘Borz’ offered up a timeline for his first appearance in 2024.

“In the summer, I think — in the summer we’ll be back,” Chimaev said. “I want to fight in Saudi Arabia, but I don’t think anyone wants to fight me there. So we’ll see what’s going to happen. Just waiting for something, and they want me to fight [at UFC] 300, but I said it’s too short a time for [170 pounds], I need more time.”

Khamzat Chimaev is targeting a summer return. He wants to fight in Saudi in June, but says no one wants to fight him.

He also says he didn’t take the fight against Leon Edwards at #UFC300 since the turnaround was too short to make 170 lbs, and his brother told him not to fight… pic.twitter.com/30zseUGYM6

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 23, 2024

For a time, Chimaev was heavily rumored to feature on UFC 300 in April. As it turns out, the promotion offered him a spot opposite reigning welterweight titleholder Leon Edwards. However, With too short of a turnaround to properly make the weight and Ramadan going right up until fight week, ‘Borz’ decided it was best to take the advice of his brother and opt out of the opportunity.

“It wasn’t 100 percent sure, but we had talked, my manager said, ‘Maybe, maybe,’” Chimaev said of the Edwards matchup. “My brother said to me, ‘Not in Ramadan,’ so after Ramadan we take some time in camp and then we fight anyone.”

Following his win over the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ at UFC 294, Khamzat Chimaev appears to be primed for a long-awaited title shot, whether it be at welterweight or middleweight. He was recently tied to a fight with Israel Adesanya in the Saudi Arabian capital on June 22, but UFC CEO Dana White was quick to squash those rumors.

Dana White shuts down Israel Adesanya – Khamzat Chimaev fight amid apparent leak of UFC Saudi Arabia card

An apparent leak on the official Kingdom Arena website tonight, appears to have shown the booking of a middleweight…

An apparent leak on the official Kingdom Arena website tonight, appears to have shown the booking of a middleweight main event fight between former undisputed divisional champion, Israel Adesanya, and the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev for a slated event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on June 23. next, however, promotional boss, Dana White has firmly shut down suggestions of a bout.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, has been sidelined since last September, most recently suffering a stunning title loss to former titleholder, Sean Strickland in Australia.

As for Chimaev, the unbeaten Chechen turned in his thirteenth straight win back in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE – landing a close, majority decision win over former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of UFC 294.

And tonight, speculation has been rife on social media regarding an impending comeback for Adesanya, after an apparent leak on the official Kingdom Arena – which appeared to sell tickets to punters for a fight against the above-mentioned, Chimaev – at a set UFC Saudi Arabia event on June 23.

Israel Adesanya – Khamzat Chimaev fight denied by Dana White

However, soon thereafter amid chatter online, the above-mentioned organizational CEO, White denied that a bout between Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev was set for June 23. in the Middle East – describing the leak as an apparent “fake post”.

“Not happening,” Dana White posted on his official Instagram Stories accompanied by a fan-made poster featuring Adesanya and Chimaev. “It was a fake post. All the MMA Media thar an with it are the problem. Absolute CLOWNS.”

Over the course of the weekend, however, Israel Adesanya’s head coach, Eugene Bareman alluded to an impending booking for his student, claiming the City Kickboxing staple had “answered the call” for a bout.

“I can say that, we’re ready to fight,” Eugene Bareman said. “Israel (Adesanya) is ready to fight. He’s in camp – has been in camp. And we answered a call that said, ‘Can you be ready for this?’ And we assessed it because Israel is coming off an injury.”

“We assessed everything and put everything together, and decided as a team, yeah, let’s get into camp, and let’s start to get fit. Let’s come back a little earlier, at some risk – at some proper risk.” Bareman explained. “And there’s a strong possibility that this fight could happen on this date. And let’s act as if we’re fighting on this date.”

Would you like to see Israel Adesanya fight Khamzat Chimaev next?