Khamzat Chimaev Pursues UFC Title Battle, Calls Out Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya
Undefeated welterweight contender has sights fixed on becoming a UFC titleholder in his next Octagon outing, calling for a pairing against either Kamaru Usman, or current middleweight best, Israel Adesanya.
Khamzat Chimaev, who improved to 11-0 as a professional back in April, managed to also scoop the #3 rank in the official welterweight pile – landing a unanimous decision victory over one-time title challenger, Gilbert Burns.
The AllStars MMA staple was forced the distance for the first time in his Octagon tenure against Niteroi native, Burns – having previously lodged a quartet of finishes under the UFC banner.
Khamzat Chimaev has been widely tipped to eventually clinch UFC gold
Linked with a matchup against both former interim titleholder, Colby Covington, and recent main event big winner, Belal Muhammad off the back of his win over Burns, Khamzat Chimaev appears to have sights set on another opponent instead – either champions, Usman, or Adesanya.
“Who wants to fight?” Khamzat Chimaev tweeted accompanied by a video of him smiling between rounds in his April outing against Burns. @stylebender (Israel Adesanya) @USMAN84kg (Kamaru Usman).”
Competing just once at the middleweight limit in five-fight Octagon stint, Chimaev, a former Brave CF standout debuted in the UFC on ‘Fight Island’ in July 2020 – stopping John Philips with a second round D’Arce in his sole middleweight outing.
In four welterweight wins since then, Chimaev best Rhys McKee, Gerald Meerschaert, Li Jingliang, and the aforenoted, Burns.
Whilst Chimaev welcomes a championship pairing with either Adesanya or Usman next – it appears the titleholding duo already have contenders to their respective thrones lined up.
185lb champion, Adesanya, who plys his trade under the City Kickboxing banner, has campaigned for a summer matchup against the #2 ranked challenger, Jared Cannonier next – in an attempt to land his fifth successful title defense.
For Usman, the Auchi native, who is the current pound-for-pound number one under the UFC’s banner, is all but penned to fight against the #2 rated, Leon Edwards in a title rematch later this annum.
