Dana White Talks Up “Big Fight” Between Colby Covington and Khamzat Chimaev Following Explosive UFC 273; Chimaev Promises “I’ll Smash His Face”
Khamzat Chimaev put on the best performance of his professional career to date to pick up a close unanimous decision win over Gilbert “Durinho” Burns on Saturday night at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Fl – and now he wants to fight everyone and anyone in the top five.
Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns put on Fight of The Year contender at UFC 273
Heading into a fight that many people labeled “The People’s Main Event”, Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns certainly more than lived up to the hype. Chimaev came close to finishing Burns, the no. 2 ranked welterweight in the world, towards the end of the first round. However, Burns returned the favor in kind, landing a beautiful counter right hook that dropped Chimaev at the closing stages of the second round. Both men then just decided to throw the kitchen sink at one another for the last round, with “Borz” picking up a 3x 29-28 decision from all 3 judges.
Dana White plans for Chimaev/Covington matchup; Chimaev promises to “smash” Covington’s face
Dana White had said beforehand that the plan was to have Chimaev face the no. 1 ranked welterweight in the world, Colby “Chaos” Covington, should he beat Burns – and that is exactly what happened. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, UFC president White all but confirmed that Covington vs. Chimaev is next. Quoted by Jordan Ellis of Talksport, White said:
“It’s big…You saw tonight, we’re in Jacksonville, Florida with a Russian and a Brazilian in the biggest fight of the night, everybody’s going crazy. So, yeah, I think it’s a big fight.” Chimaev added in his own post fight press conference that he is willing to fight any top ranked welterweight willing to face him. whether that be Colby Covington or anyone else stepping up to the plate.
“I don’t care. I said, everybody. I’ll fight everybody,” Chimaev said at the UFC 273 post-fight press conference. “If that guy [Covington] don’t call the cops and Dana White doesn’t go to jail, I will be happy for the fight. I’ll come to the fight, and I’ll smash his face,” he added ominously.
Covington is, of course, coming off a big win over hated UFC rival, and former friend turned foe, Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal at UFC 272. Covington has not been heard from since being attacked outside a Miami restaurant by Masvidal. He has previously dismissed Chimaev as a legitimate challenger, but those opinions will likely have to be dashed following the fight of the year contender that just unfolded.
How do you see Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington play out?
