Khamzat Chimaev

What does the UFC do with Nate Diaz?

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The UFC is currently in a unique spot with one of their biggest stars. Nate Diaz (20-13) is currently looking for a fight and he cannot seem to get one locked down despite the promotion exploring a variety of options.

Diaz has one fight left on his UFC contract and the promotion is trying to decide what to do with that fight. Most recently, the promotion has tried to offer Diaz a fight with superstar prospect Khamzat Chimaev (10-0).

Chimaev is coming off of another massive win at UFC 267 where he completely destroyed Li Jingliang in the first round. The Chechen welterweight has finished every opponent he’s faced in four fights and he’s only absorbed one significant strike.

The UFC is struggling to find Chimaev an opponent for his next fight as well. Given the star power of Diaz, the promotion wanted to pair him with Chimaev to make Chimaev an even bigger star should he defeat the fan favorite, Nate Diaz.

However, Diaz isn’t interested. Diaz told TMZ that he wouldn’t fight a rookie like Chimaev but he would fight anyone in the top ten of the UFC‘s welterweight division. With that, who should the promotion pair him with?

Options for Diaz’s next UFC fight

The option that I like the most is a matchup with top contender Vicente Luque. It’s clear now that Leon Edwards is likely going to get the next shot against Kamaru Usman. With that, Luque is going to need to take another fight before getting a title shot of his own.

The UFC approached Luque about fighting his teammate Gilbert Burns. However, Luque wasn’t interested in that matchup given their relationship. I think the promotion is likely going to book Chimaev against Burns next.

With that, the opening is there for Luque to fight Diaz next and this is a fight that both men have verbally expressed interest in. However, the UFC hasn’t moved in that direction as of yet.

The only other fight to watch out for would be the BMF rematch with Jorge Masvidal. The UFC tried to make this fight last year but ultimately pivoted when they tried to book Masvidal against Covington.

That said, the word is that the UFC is fully planning on booking Masvidal against Covington now that both are coming off losses. All that being said, I think Vicente Luque – Nate Diaz is going to be Diaz’s last fight on his current UFC deal.

Who’s next for Kamaru Usman after UFC 268?

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This past weekend at UFC 268, we saw a rematch for the welterweight title. In the main event, Kamaru Usman (20-1) defended his title against Colby Covington (16-3). It was the second time that these men met inside the octagon with the first coming back at UFC 245 in 2019.

In between the first and second fights, we saw dramatic improvement from Usman after he made the switch to Trevor Wittman’s camp. Usman’s striking got considerably better and his performances showed that. However, many still thought of Covington as his toughest opponent.

We saw both stories play out on Saturday at UFC 268. In the first two rounds, we did see that improvement from Usman. We saw him drop Covington twice in the second round and nearly finish him. That said, we also saw Covington prove how tough he was.

In the later rounds, I actually was favoring Covington with his pressure and he was landing. That said, Usman still got the nod and the right decision in my book was 48-47 Kamaru Usman. The UFC‘s welterweight champion proved that he’s still the best in the world.

Who is next after UFC 268?

Dana White was absolutely right when he said Colby Covington is clearly the second best welterweight in the world. White said that if Kamaru Usman didn’t exist, Colby Covington would be the UFC welterweight champion. Usman has now defeated him twice.

The champion is on his second round through a lot of the top tier opponents which is why White has already labeled him the welterweight GOAT. Now that Usman has defeated Covington for the second time, who is next in the welterweight division.

Well, there are a couple of options for the champion. Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC) is fighting Jorge Masvidal (35-15) next month at UFC 269. If Edwards wins that fight, there is no doubt in my mind that he’s next for Kamaru Usman. This fight would also be a rematch.

However, if Masvidal were to win, there’s a different contender who Usman hasn’t fought. That man is Vicente Luque (21-7-1). Luque was actually the backup this past weekend and he’s won four straight by stoppage. If Edwards falls next month, expect Luque to get the next shot.

Khamzat Chimaev (10-0) is a wild card name to watch. As of now, no way he’d get the next shot. However, there’s rumors that he might fight Gilbert Burns next. If he fights Burns and destroys the former title challenger, he could leap all the way to the front of the line.

Who is next for Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 267?

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This past Saturday on the main card of UFC 267, we saw a welterweight showdown between phenom Khamzat Chimaev (10-0) and Li Jingliang (18-7). Li entered the contest ranked 11th and was supposed to present the first real challenge for Chimaev in the UFC.

Chimaev stormed on the scene last year with three quick wins over quality opponents in the span of three months. With how dominant he was the UFC rushed him to the top and booked him against top welterweight contender Leon Edwards.

However, a rough battle with COVID kept Chimaev on the shelf for over a year. This past Saturday, he finally returned and many wondered how he would look. Chimaev looked to be the same, but there were questions about his performance after a battle with COVID.

Couple that with Li as his opponent and it wasn’t expected to be easy for Chimaev. Well, at UFC 267 Chimaev made it look easier than ever. Moments into the fight, Chimaev shot in on Li and picked him up and carried him over to where Dana White was sitting.

Chimaev talked with White as he slammed Li to the ground. From there, the Chechen proceeded to smash Li before locking up a rear naked choke and putting him to sleep. Chimaev has fought four times in the UFC, he’s 4-0 and he’s only been hit once.

What’s next after UFC 267?

I swear I’m not exaggerating in saying this, but I truly believe that Khamzat Chimaev could compete with either of the welterweights fighting at UFC 268. Whether that be the champion Kamaru Usman or the challenger Colby Covington, I really believe Chimaev can compete.

Whether he would win or not in a potential fight with those two is a different story. With how good he looks, what should the UFC do with him next? Well, I think I want to see him fight one more guy on the back end of the top ten before jumping straight to a title eliminator.

Chimaev and Neil Magny (25-8) have had some back-and-forth for a while. Magny has already come out and said that he wanted to fight Chimaev next. UFC President Dana White said the promotion will also talk with Nate Diaz (20-13) about potentially fighting Chimaev.

However, I find it highly unlikely that Diaz would accept that fight. My guess is that Magny is going to be the guy and I think it’ll happen sooner rather than later. Given the way Chimaev is, I wouldn’t even rule out the UFC booking this fight before the end of the year.

Khamzat Chimaev smashes and puts Li Jingliang to sleep at UFC 267

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On the main card of UFC 267, we saw the return of one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory. Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) was making his highly anticipated return as he took on “The Leech” Li Jingliang (18-6).

Li is ranked 11th in the welterweight division while Chimaev sits just outside the top fifteen. However, Li was a massive underdog. Granted, that’s not a spot that Li is uncomfortable with as he was a decent underdog in his last fight.

As mentioned, Khamzat Chimaev has a ton of hype behind him after what he did in 2020. The Chechen made his debut on Fight Island last year and won three fights in three months. All by stoppage. The UFC then booked him against Leon Edwards, but COVID got in the way.

Chimaev had a terrible battle with COVID and at one point, he thought he was going to have to retire. However, the UFC got him the care he needed and he’s back and ready to take on one of the toughest contenders in the division.

UFC 267 Recap

Round 1

The UFC 267 welterweight contest kicked off with immediate pressure from Chimaev. Chimaev has beautiful timing and he gets a body lock on Li. He picked up Li and talks to Dana White as he slams The Leech to the ground.

Chimaev circles to the back of Li and is heavy on the pressure. Li tries to get up along the fence, but Chimaev drags him right back down. Heavy back pressure here from Chimaev who is landing some nice shots along the fence on Li.

Chimaev settling in here on the back of Li as he continues to land shots. Big shots land for Chimaev who is completely dominating Li here in the first round. Chimaev gets full back mount and flattens out Li.

Huge shots land for Chimaev and Chimaev locks in a rear naked choke. Li defends well at first but Chimaev switches it up and locks it in deep. Li goes to sleep and Chimaev looks unstoppable after UFC 267.

Khamzat Chimaev def. Li Jingliang by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) – Round 1

UFC 267 Preview: Khamzat Chimaev – Jingliang Li

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Tomorrow on the main card of UFC 267, we will see the return of one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory. Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) will be making his highly anticipated return as he takes on “The Leech” Jingliang Li (18-6).

Li is ranked 11th in the welterweight division while Chimaev sits just outside the top fifteen. However, Li is the massive underdog tomorrow night. Granted, that’s not a spot that Li is uncomfortable with as he was a decent underdog in his last fight.

The last time we saw Li was back in January when he took on Santiago Ponzinibbio. Ponzinibbio was a big favorite, but Li wasn’t intimidated and knocked him out in the first round. Overall, Li is 4-1 in his last five UFC bouts.

As mentioned, Khamzat Chimaev has a ton of hype behind him after what he did in 2020. The Chechen made his debut on Fight Island last year and won three fights in three months. All by stoppage. The UFC then booked him against Leon Edwards, but COVID got in the way.

Chimaev had a terrible battle with COVID and at one point, he thought he was going to have to retire. However, the UFC got him the care he needed and he’s back and ready to take on one of the toughest contenders in the division.

UFC 267 Prediction

There’s a reason why Khamzat Chimaev is such a big favorite leading into UFC 267. He’s got tremendous power on his feet and he’s got incredible wrestling. If you talk with people who watch him train, they say his hands can be just as good as his grappling which is terrifying.

Li is going to be a tough test as he’s also very well-rounded. He’s incredible strong and showed in his last fight that he also has the ability to put you out if he lands the right shot. He’s going to need to land the right shot tomorrow.

Call me a believer of hype, but I just don’t see Khamzat Chimaev losing this fight tomorrow night. I actually do think it goes the distance, but I think Chimaev completely controls and dictates where the fight takes place at UFC 267.

Prediction: Khamzat Chimaev by Unanimous Decision

BREAKING: UFC books the return of Khamzat Chimaev against Li Jingliang

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The UFC has finalized the return of Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). Octagon Bet was the first to report that the promotion has finalized a matchup between Chimaev and top 15 welterweight Li Jingliang (18-6).

The matchup is set to take place at UFC 267 on October 30th. This is a huge spot for “The Leech”. The last time we saw Li was when he fought Santiago Ponzinibbio back in January. Li scored a first round knockout in that fight.

That was a massive feather in the cap for Li who derailed the hype train of Ponzinibbio. Now, Li is going to be tasked with taking out another UFC hype train in Khamzat Chimaev.

Li has been with the UFC since 2014. During that time, he’s gone 9-4 and he’s been in there with some really solid welterweights. He’s 4-1 in his last five fights with the lone loss coming against top ten contender Neil Magny.

UFC Return for Chimaev

UFC 267 will mark the highly anticipated return of Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev took the combat sports world by storm in 2020 and he looked to be on the fast track. The Chechen star made his UFC debut on Fight Island.

Chimaev won two fights in ten days and he did so in extremely dominant fashion. He made his debut at middleweight but fought his second fight at his natural weight class of 170 pounds.

After those two wins, the UFC booked him against middleweight veteran Gerald Meerschaert. It was supposed to be the first real test for Chimaev, but he made it look easy. After showing off his dominant wrestling in his first two fights, Chimaev showed his striking and power off.

Chimaev knocked Meerschaert out in just 17 seconds to pick up his third UFC win. From there, Chimaev was booked against top contender Leon Edwards for a headliner in December. Chimaev went from an unknown to potentially fighting in a title eliminator.

However, that fight fell through after both men came down with COVID-19. Chimaev had a very difficult time with COVID and contemplated retirement. However, he’s back to 100% and he has a big fight in front of him at UFC 267.

UFC attempted to make Luke Rockhold – Khamzat Chimaev; Chimaev declined the fight

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Luke Rockhold

Today we learned that the UFC was trying to book a major main event for August. Per Ariel Helwani, the promotion was trying to book a middleweight main event between former champion Luke Rockhold (16-5) and Khamzat Chimaev (9-0).

The main event would have taken place at a UFC Fight Night on August 28th. Rockhold confirmed the news with Helwani and also said that the promotion offered the two a three-round fight at UFC 265.

According to the former UFC middleweight champion, Khamzat Chimaev declined both fights while Rockhold accepted both. Rockhold has been looking to book his return and he saw a fight with Chimaev as a way to get his name back out there in a big way.

Khamzat Chimaev is also looking to book his return after missing the last year due to complications from COVID-19. The UFC has been meeting with Chimaev about his return and they are working on fights for him now.

The fight with Rockhold fell through due to Chimaev’s desire to fight at 170 pounds. So far in three fights, two fights have been at middleweight and one has been at welterweight for Chimaev. However, Chimaev has made it known to UFC officials that he plans on staying at 170.

What does the UFC do?

For now, the promotion will go right back to work on booking these two a fight. Rockhold has told the UFC that he wants a top name at 185 pounds. In recent interviews, Rockhold has said that he’s accepted multiple fights, but nothing has materialized.

There are some middleweight contests coming up and I wouldn’t be shocked to see Rockhold get booked soon. He’s hoping to fight by the end of the summer and I think the UFC will find him a good opponent for his return.

Khamzat Chimaev took off in 2020 and was a potential win over Leon Edwards in December away from earning himself a quick UFC title shot. However, COVID cancelled his fight with Edwards and we haven’t seen Chimaev since. The word is that a fight for Chimaev is close to coming together and I would expect a top fifteen welterweight.

Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC Return is Imminent

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The UFC prospect that generated the most buzz in 2020 is getting ready to return. Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) is inching closer and closer to making his way back inside the octagon and he’s heading to Las Vegas this week to meet with the UFC.

Chimaev came onto the scene last July when he made his UFC debut on Fight Island. Chimaev won two fights in ten days and he did it in extremely dominating fashion. He also did it in two separate weight classes.

Then, in August, he fought Gerald Meerschaert and knocked him out with the first punch he through. Chimaev was being fast-tracked towards the top of the UFC‘s welterweight division. However, it became tough to get anyone to take a fight against him.

Ultimately, he landed a main event slot against top contender Leon Edwards. The two were set to meet in December, however, Edwards had to pull out due to COVID. They rescheduled the fight two more times, but Chimaev’s own battle with COVID scrapped those two fights.

Chimaev’s battle with COVID was so tough that he hinted at retiring from the UFC altogether. But, the promotion got him the medical help he needed and he’s been training like a mad man ever since. Dana White said on Mike Swick’s Podcast this week that he’s scheduled to meet with Chimaev regarding his return.

Who should the UFC pair him with?

The UFC is going to give Chimaev a quality opponent in his next fight. To me, there’s one guy who fits the bill and he’s already been having back-and-forth with Chimaev. That man is the Haitian Sensation, Neil Magny (25-8).

Magny is coming off of a big win over Neil Magny last month. When the UFC was having a hard time finding Chimaev an opponent, Magny was the one guy who was very vocal about fighting Chimaev.

However, at the time, the UFC wanted to give Chimaev someone with a little more behind their name. Now that the Chimaev momentum has slowed down, I think it’s a perfect test to have him fight Magny. A fight with Magny will tell us a ton about how good Khamzat Chimaev really is.

After another solid win at UFC Vegas 26, what’s next for Neil Magny?

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This past Saturday at UFC Vegas 26, we saw a big welterweight contest between Neil Magny (25-8) and Geoff Neal (13-4). These two were originally supposed to fight last year, but Neal had to pull out due to some health issues.

2020 was a great year for Neil Magny who returned after a USADA issue. Magny went a perfect 3-0 inside the octagon with a big win over former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler.

On the heels of those three wins, Magny had a main event slot booked against Michael Chiesa back in January. Chiesa halted all of the Magny momentum and was able to pickup the decision win.

This matchup at UFC Vegas 26 was a big opportunity for Magny to shake off that loss and get back on track. To be honest, I was worried about how Magny would do with someone like Geoff Neal.

Geoff Neal is great about pressuring his opponents and throwing a ton of heat in his shots. Historically, those type of fighters have given Neil Magny problems. However, Neal proved to be no problem for Magny on Saturday night.

Magny was able to work his jab and keep Neal at distance from landing anything major. Ultimately, Magny walked away with a clean decision victory at UFC Vegas 26 and he’s right back on track.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 26?

With the victory on Saturday, Magny has risen to eighth in the UFC’s welterweight rankings. With that ranking, it’s time for Magny to get a shot against someone near or around the top five.

However, there is one name that could show up outside the top ten. That name is Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). Chimaev has been vocal about wanting to fight Magny and Magny has been vocal about wanting to fight Chimaev.

Chimeav is set to return sometime this summer and if Magny wants to fight, the UFC will definitely make that matchup happen. Another name that could make sense for Magny is Jorge Masvidal (35-15).

I know that might throw some people off, but at the end of the day, Masvidal is ranked seventh currently. Only one spot ahead of Magny and he’s coming off of a brutal knockout loss. A fight with Magny could be good for all parties involved.

The other opponent which would make a lot of sense is Vicente Luque (20-7-1). Luque has won three and a row and is currently ranked fifth in the welterweight division. A fight between the two would generate a new top contender for the UFC.

UFC: Khamzat Chimaev – Neil Magny in July?

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One of the UFC‘s breakout stars in 2020 is getting closer to a return. Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) has been dealing with complications from COVID-19 for months now. Chimaev had to pull out of two main event slots due to those complications.

The young star became so frustrated that he actually announced his retirement on Instagram. However, the UFC quickly came out and said that Chimaev was just emotional after attempting a premature return to training. 

Since then, Chimaev has been listening to the doctors. His condition is getting better every day and now it appears that we are close to the light at the end of the tunnel. Chimaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, laid out the timeline for Chimaev’s UFC return.

Abdelaziz told ESPN, “He’s probably going to start training in the middle of April, and is looking to fight in the beginning of July. He’s still getting medical treatment on a daily basis, but he is doing much better. Neil Magny is the guy we have in mind as an opponent, but let’s see what happens.”

The UFC was interested in the Neil Magny (24-8) fight prior to Chimaev’s retirement post. Magny is a force inside the top fifteen and he’s not an easy matchup for anyone. A fight with Magny would be a great test for the Chetchen star.

Will the UFC book this matchup?

Neil Magny is up for this fight assuming that Chimaev is ready to go. Magny told MMA Fighting, “I will fight him any day of the week, but there’s no way I’m putting my career on hold so that he could hopefully fight me come July.”

We last saw Magny in the UFC back in January. Magny took on Michael Chiesa and lost a decision in a main event on Fight Island. That loss to Chiesa snapped a three-fight win streak for The Haitian Sensation.

However, despite the loss, Magny is still ranked inside the UFC’s top ten at welterweight. This would be a really tough test for Chimaev, but it’s a fight that I’d love to see. These two have gone back and forth and the promotion should definitely look to book this if Chimaev can make it.