Khamzat Chimaev is pushing for an opportunity to vie for UFC gold. The 29-year-old, maintaining an unblemished 13-0 record in his professional career, has proven to be an enigma too formidable for each of his seven UFC adversaries thus far.
This includes his most recent triumph, a decision win over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at October’s UFC 294. In the aftermath of Sean Strickland’s defeat by Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297, coupled with Israel Adesanya’s current absence, Chimaev asserts that he stands as the sole worthy contender for the new champion.
However, UFC president Dana White seems to hold a divergent opinion, creating a point of contention for the Chechen-born fighter. Chimaev expressed his dissatisfaction in an interview with ESPN, as reported by MMA Fighting.
He questioned, “Who else is going to fight him? Israel is out until 2027. All of these guys fought each other. It’s only me who is undefeated and undisputed, so I don’t know. They promised me after the Usman fight that [I] would for sure fight for the title, and I won that fight. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Chimaev disclosed that he battled a health ailment and an injured hand after his victory against Usman last year. White, during a media interaction in Toronto, stated that he didn’t anticipate Chimaev being available for the April card.
This revelation has fueled Chimaev’s frustration, leading him to challenge the UFC brass. He emphasized, “If you promised me something, you have to answer for your words, and I’m the guy who always answers for my words. I don’t care if it’s some president or a king. If you give me [your] word, you have to answer for that.”
Expressing his uncertainty about the situation, Chimaev stated, “I will be surprised if that happens — if somebody fights [for the title] next, and not me. We’ll see, I didn’t talk with Dana, and I don’t know what he’s thinking. He knows better than me. In my mind, it should be me. I asked Hunter [Campbell] to let me fight at UFC 300, so we’ll see what they say. [I asked him] before [UFC 297]. I was sick before, and they were asking me during that time, and [I told my] manager to let me be healthy first.”
Asserting his readiness, Chimaev concluded, “When I felt my health was good, and I was in the gym training, it was the right time. So I will be ready [for UFC 300] if they give me the fight.”
