Joe Rogan ranks Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling over Khabib Nurmagomedov’s after stunning submission
Long-time UFC commentator, Joe Rogan has claimed Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling and grappling prowess may be even more “dominant” and impressive than that of former lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov, off the back of the Chechen’s stunning victory at UFC 308.
Chimaev, the current number three ranked middleweight challenger off the back of his impressive first round win over former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, latched onto a brutal face crank just three minutes into their co-headliner, appearing to fracture the Auckland native’s mandible and multiple teeth.
And now heavily linked with a title charge against the incumbent, Dricus du Plessis following his win — which has been endorsed by the South African himself ahead of a rematch with former gold holder, Sean Strickland, Chimaev’s grappling and dominance was lauded by veteran color-commentator, Rogan.
Khamzat Chimaev backed as similarly “dominant” to Khabib Nurmagomedov
“[It’s] maybe even more intense, maybe even more dominant [comparing Khamzat Chimaev’s ability to Khabib Nurmagomedov],” Joe Rogan said on his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. “To do that to (Robert) Whittaker, a guy whose a world champion, like even the Conor [McGregor] fight, it took a while before [Khabib] overwhelmed him…This was just an overwhelming victory. Khamzat just charged in, dove in, got him down and mauled him. Mauled him until he broke his face.”
Welcoming the chance to fight Pretoria native, du Plessis in his first title charge in the UFC next, Chimaev’s ambitions were also backed by the defending gold holder who claimed he should surpass Strickland in the cue.
“We always knew that, between Rob (Whittaker) and Khamzat (Chimaev), if it was going to be something exceptional that happens, there might be a change in the title fight,” DricusDu Plessis told Radioraps. “We have no clarity on that, but as a fan of the sport, and as the middleweight champion of the world, that’s a fight that gets me more excited – taking somebody’s 0. I’ve beaten (Sean) Strickland before, and I know I’ll beat him again.”
