Khamzat Chimaev

UFC: Leon Edwards promised a title shot if he beats Khamzat Chimaev

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Leon Edwards

2020 has been a very frustrating year for the UFC‘s third ranked welterweight. Leon Edwards (18-3) was originally supposed to take on former champion, Tyron Woodley, back in March. Edwards would be entering that contest on an eight fight winning streak.

The general thought was that if Edwards won, he would be getting a UFC title shot. A week before the event was set to take place, the pandemic shut down the UFC‘s production and the Edwards – Woodley fight was cancelled.

The UFC decided to move the fight to May. However, due to the shutdown in the UK, Edwards was unable to train or travel. Gilbert Burns was given the shot and he ended up dominating Tyron Woodley.

Jorge Masvidal was originally supposed to fight Kamaru Usman for the title, however, that fight fell apart. The UFC called Edwards to see if he’d be able to take the fight, but due to the shutdowns, he had to pass up the opportunity.

The UFC then turned to Gilbert Burns and gave him the title shot. Burns came down with COVID and the promotion ultimately ended up going back to Jorge Masvidal to headline UFC 251 against Kamaru Usman.

After Usman defeated Masvidal, the promotion announced that Gilbert Burns was the number one contender. Meanwhile, Leon Edwards has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for his chance.

UFC title eliminator

While all of this was going on, Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) was taking the world by storm. Chimaev has fought three times since July and he’s dominated everyone that the UFC has put in front of him.

The promotion was really struggling to book Chimaev in a headliner because nobody wanted to fight him. The promotion was also struggling to get Leon Edwards a fight. Edwards wanted a top contender or a title shot.

However, all of the top contenders were booked and the title fight was booked. Due to inactivity, Edwards was actually briefly removed from the UFC‘s rankings. Shortly after, a frustrated Edwards called for the fight nobody wanted.

The UFC then booked Edwards against the rising star, Khamzat Chimaev. Chimaev is not currently ranked while Edwards is in the top three. However, given the hype, this is a fight that can put Edwards over the top.

In fact, Edwards told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani he’s been promised a title shot if he wins. Edwards said, “That’s been mentioned (a title shot). I believe that I’m going to get that title shot after I beat him (Chimaev).”

It’s a crazy fight, but it’s been a crazy year. It’s odd to think, but whoever wins on December 19th is likely going to get a shot at the UFC‘s welterweight champion. Leon Edwards can finally get his shot, or Khamzat Chimaev will show the world just how special he really is.

UFC booking Stephen Thompson – Geoff Neal

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The UFC‘s fight night on December 19th is getting another really solid matchup at welterweight. Per ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (15-4) will be taking on rising contender Geoff Neal (13-2).

The UFC had been working on matchups for both men that fell apart. The promotion was initially working on a matchup between Thompson and Khamzat Chimaev. Of course, Chimaev is headlining this card against Leon Edwards. 

Thompson wasn’t interested in the Chimaev fight, so the UFC moved on. Geoff Neal was originally supposed to take on Neil Magny. However, a couple of months ago, a health scare sidelined Neal who had already been having a tough 2020.

The two top ten UFC welterweights will now go to battle on a card that is shaping up to be huge for the welterweight division. Both men have title aspirations, and they will be looking to continue winning streaks when they step into the octagon on December 19th.

Moving Day for the UFC welterweights.

Between this fight and the headlining fight, this card is turning out to be a moving day for the UFC‘s welterweight division. For Wonderboy, he’s looking to climb the latter to get back to a UFC title shot. He’s fought for the title twice going 0-1-1 in those two contests.

The last we saw Wonderboy was last year at UFC 244. That night, Thompson was able to use his point style striking to defeat contender Vicente Luque by unanimous decision. Thompson is looking to turn back another dangerous contender on December 19th.

It’s been a tough year for welterweight contender Geoff Neal. The UFC struggled to get Neal a fight and as a result, Neal actually started waiting tables to make some money. Then he was supposed to fight Neil Magny before that fight was scrapped.

Neil will enter the octagon on a seven fight winning streak. Only one of those fights has gone the distance. If Neal can come out and stop a former title challenger like Wonderboy, it will put the rest of the UFC‘s welterweight division on notice.

UFC: Chris Weidman wants Khamzat Chimaev in January

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Chris Weidman

For the longest time, the UFC was struggling to find a fight for their breakout star, Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). Chimaev has stormed onto the scene with three incredible fights and finishes here in the second half of 2020.

However, his impressive performance didn’t get him a spot in the UFC rankings. Most people believe Chimaev is one of the best in the world, but without a ranking, many fighters didn’t seem interested in taking the risk to fight him.

One of the fighters who was interested in the fight was the former UFC middleweight champion, Chris Weidman (15-5). Weidman just made his middleweight return back in August when he defeated Omari Akhmedov by unanimous decision.

When speaking to Submission Radio, Weidman says that he accepted the UFC‘s offer to face Chimaev next. “They offered me Chimaev. I said yes. Then I started to get really excited about it. Then I said, ‘I’ve got a little bit of a rib injury right now.’ I told them that I’d fight whoever in mid-January,” Weidman said.

Obviously, Weidman was one of the names the UFC was interested in for Chimaev. Since the talks with Weidman fell apart, the UFC moved on to book Chimaev against Leon Edwards on December 19th. 

Could the former UFC middleweight champion be next?

Weidman made the point that he still wants to fight Chimaev, but only if he’s able to win on December 19th. The former UFC champion said, “If he loses his next fight, the interest would just be completely gone. What’s the purpose of me fighting him?”

The All-American talked about the interest comes from the hype of Chimaev. Given the way the UFC has managed Chimaev’s career so far, I wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up fighting Weidman in January even if he wins on December 19th.

If Chimaev defeats Edwards who is the third ranked welterweight in the UFC, he’s likely going to get a title shot in his next fight. However, with Kamaru Usman – Gilbert Burns not fighting until early 2021, the timeline leaves open another fight for Chimaev.

Chimaev has talked about his desire to bounce back and forth between the welterweight and middleweight division. Don’t be shocked if the UFC still tries to make a fight with Chimaev and Weidman if Khamzat wins on December 19th.

UFC: Robbie Lawler – Mike Perry fight is off

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Robbie Lawler

One of the more exciting bouts on the UFC 255 card is off. Per the official Twitter account of Mike Perry (14-6), Robbie Lawler (28-15, 1 NC) has pulled out of their fight with an undisclosed injury. This report was then confirmed by MMA Fighting.

This was expected to be a fun fight for UFC fans. Lawler has long been a fan favorite and Mike Perry is one to always bring the fight. The former UFC welterweight champion was looking to snap his current four fight losing streak.

While Perry on the other hand was looking to win his second fight in a row this year. A win over Lawler would have been the biggest win in the career of Platinum. There is no word yet on how long Lawler will be out due to his injury.

Mike Perry has made it known that he would still like to fight on the November card. He called out Khamzat Chimaev for a fight at UFC 255. Chimaev of course was just booked to headline a fight night against Leon Edwards on December 19th. 

The UFC’s Options

In addition to Chimaev, Perry also called out Darren Till who is scheduled to face Jack Hermansson on December 5th. It’s clear that Perry is itching to get back into the UFC with all of the negative press going on around him.

I think that the UFC will look at potential opponents that make sense for Perry. Assuming that Lawler is going to be out for an extended period of time. If Lawler can bounce back quick, the UFC could always look to book the fight at a later date, perhaps in December.

However, if the promotion needs to find a new opponent, they’ll need to find one that will generate some interest. Potentially a good matchup would be with Niko Price (14-4-1, 1 NC). Price is an exciting fighter who is coming off of a draw against Cowboy Cerrone.

Not sure what the UFC is going to do with Perry, but Price could be an option. I would again advise that the promotion looks for someone who would make a fun fight with Perry to keep the energy level the same for his spot on the card.

UFC booking Khamzat Chimaev – Leon Edwards per Dana White

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There have been two fighters in the UFC‘s welterweight division that the promotion has struggled to get booked. One being the rising superstar, Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). Chimaev debuted back in the summer on Fight Island.

He’s fought three times so far with the UFC and he’s ran through all three opponents with no issues. The UFC has him on the fast track, but because of his lack of a ranking, there have been few top fighters who wanted to take the risk in fighting Chimaev.

On the other side of things there’s Leon Edwards (18-3). Edwards was the third ranked welterweight in the world on the heels of an eight fight winning streak. Edwards had been holding out for a top contender or a UFC title shot.

However, nothing ever materialized on either front. Due to his inactivity, he was recently removed from the UFC‘s welterweight rankings. Following the removal, Edwards tweeted that he wanted to fight and called out Chimaev. The promotion seemed to work quickly on this one.

UFC booking Chimaev – Edwards

I’m honestly a little shocked that this is the fight that the UFC ultimately landed on. I know that they really want to move Chimaev up the rankings fast, but it’s pretty unprecedented that an unranked fighter would move right into challenging someone in the top three.

However, this is a little of an unprecedented situation for the UFC. You have a top ranked fighter who can’t find a fight and you have a top ranked contender who no one wanted to fight. Now the two will clash in a headliner for the promotion on December 19th.

Given Edwards’ spot in the rankings, Chimaev will likely earn a title shot if he’s able to defeat Edwards. Meanwhile, if Edwards wins, he will finally get the shine that he’s felt he’s deserved given the mass popularity of Khamzat Chimaev. I for one am very excited for this matchup.

UFC: Khamzat Chimaev could be fighting Neil Magny next

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UFC President Dana White came out today and said the Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) is the toughest guy to book in the promotion right now. The Russian superstar is not ranked in any division and multiple top contenders have turned down fights against him.

Michael Chiesa laid out good reasoning on why no top UFC fighter would want that fight. The risk far outweighs the reward for many top contender. Because of this, the UFC has struggled to find Chimaev an opponent for his next fight.

The UFC is wanting Chimaev to headline in his next fight against a highly ranked opponent. They appear to be fast-tracking their undefeated star. However, getting a top contender to agree to the matchup is a much bigger problem than Dana White expected.

However, there is one top fifteen fighter who is asking for the fight. That guy would be Neil Magny (24-7). Magny has been very public about his interest in fighting the undefeated prospect. While nobody seems to want that fight, Magny is all about it.

In his interview with ESPN today, White said that Magny was virtually the only guy willing to take the fight. He also said that the UFC would be announcing something soon in terms of who Khamzat Chimaev would be fighting next.

UFC Cinderella Run for Magny?

What a 2020 it has been for Neil Magny. After getting suspended due to USADA, Magny has stormed back into the UFC this year with three straight wins. All three wins have come since March, and his last win was his most impressive.

Back in August, Magny took on former UFC welterweight champion, Robbie Lawler, Magny controlled the fight from the beginning to the end. It was the biggest win of Magny’s UFC career. However, Chimaev would present the greatest challenge.

The top prospect has already shown how good he is on the ground. Then, in his last fight, he starched Gerald Meerschaert in 14 seconds on the feet. He appears to be the total package and the majority of the UFC seems to be a little on edge about facing the Russian.

Magny is ready to take on the challenge. Given Magny’s willingness to take the fight and Dana White’s comments, I think Magny is the clubhouse favorite to headline opposite Khamzat Chimaev. I don’t know what odds I’d give him, but Magny is gaining a ton of respect from the UFC. 

UFC: Khamzat Chimaev has new opponent in ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira

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It’s not always easy being a rising fighter in the UFC. Sure, it only takes a few big wins to capture the attention of the sport. Especially if those wins are bonus-worthy performances. But breaking into the standings and displacing the top fighters already there isn’t easy. Khamzat Chimaev is finding out just how hard it can be. After a quick rise that led to him being noticed by MMA fans around the world, Chimaev has now had several potential opponents turn down fights.

These opponents want him to get more experience first. If you want to look at it from a more cynical perspective, you could say they want to avoid losing to a rapidly surging fighter. Either way, it leaves Chimaev in a rough spot. The UFC has decided to push him more and give him a headline fight – but actually finding his opponent hasn’t been easy so far.

One name, though, has stepped up to the plate: Alex ‘Cowboy’ Oliveira. Oliveira isn’t the ranked fighter that the UFC was looking for, but he does have a substantial record behind his name. He’s also won both of his fights in 2020, against Max Griffin and Peter Sobotta.

Oliveira is “right here” and ready to fight

Oliveira’s interest in fighting Chimaev was revealed in an interview with MMA Junkie. He says that, if Chimaev wants to pick and choose an opponent, he should pick him rather than waiting around.

“I’ll take the fight no one else wants. Chimaev, I’m ready for a fight at welterweight right now. I see you picking and choosing opponents. I’m right here,” Oliveira told Mike Bohn. “I’m itching to fight Chimaev. If you want to pick and choose opponents, I’ll fight you.”

But it remains to be seen whether the UFC will go for this matchup or not. After all, the fight is supposed to be a headlining one and the league may not want to headline two fighters outside the top 15.

At the least, though, Chimaev has a potential opponent on the table. If there’s not another matchup in the top 15 that opens up, we may just see this opponent for one of the UFC’s rising stars. And with Oliveira having good experience in the UFC, it would be intriguing to see if Chimaev’s hot streak continues against him.

UFC: Michael Chiesa says fighting Khamzat Chimaev is not smart business

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One of the top welterweights in the UFC is currently making his way back from injury. Michael Chiesa (17-4) hasn’t fought since January when he defeated Rafael Dos Anjos by unanimous decision. The third straight UFC victory for Chiesa.

Chiesa is currently ranked eighth in the UFC‘s welterweight division. He’s currently working his way back from injury with aspirations to fight in either December or January. Today at the UFC Fight Island 5 media scrum, Chiesa fielded questions from reporters.

Of course, one of the questions that came through was around the UFC‘s newest sensation, Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). Chimaev is currently scheduled to headline a fight night in either November or December, but the UFC still doesn’t have an opponent for him yet.

Chiesa was asked about the standstills that are going on in his division. He said that he couldn’t blame guys for not wanting to fight Chimaev. When asked if he would potentially take the fight if the UFC offered, Chiesa implied that the fight didn’t make a ton of sense.

The UFC’s Tough Situation

“You have to think about it like this. If he beats a guy, hypothetically, let’s say he beats Wonderboy. Now it’s lucrative. Hell yeah, now he’s proven he’s the real thing. However, if I lay it on the line and he beats me, he takes my spot. I beat him and they’d say he’s a flash in the pan,” Chiesa told reporters.

I have to say that the UFC veteran does have a point. Despite all the hype, Chimaev still doesn’t have a number next to his names. He’s still on the outside looking in when it comes to the UFC‘s rankings. That’s why no ranked fighter wants the fight.

As Chiesa said, if Chimaev defeats any top ten guy, he takes their spot. However, if the top contender wins, nothing changes for them besides getting a paycheck. That is where the UFC‘s problem is when it comes to Chimaev.

They want to rush Chimaev up the mountain, but top ranked fighters realize the danger in fighting him. They also realize they have way more to lose, they gain nothing from it. I think the UFC is going to have their hands full getting Chimaev a fight.

Leon Edwards only wants a UFC title shot or top 4 opponent in his next fight

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Leon Edwards

The UFC has a little bit of a problem in their welterweight division. They have fights they want to make, but the fighters involved don’t seem interested in the fights that the promotion wants to make. Let’s start with the situation regarding Khamzat Chimaev.

The UFC is wanting to showcase their new star in a headlining fight in November. They wanted Chimaev to fight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, but Wonderboy has turned down the fight. This leaves the UFC with very few options for Chimaev.

Instead, Wonderboy has called out Leon Edwards. This is a fight that makes sense from a rankings perspective. However, Edwards is not interested in fighting Thompson despite his top five UFC ranking. He cited Thompson’s knockout loss to Anthony Pettis as a reason.

Edwards told MMA Fighting, “As far as Wonderboy, he got knocked out like a fight ago. Pettis knocked him out one fight ago. If I go out there right now and I fight Wonderboy and I beat Wonderboy, the UFC will be like ‘let’s go one more in the top-five and then we’ll go for a title.’ They wouldn’t give me a title shot straight away.”

What should the UFC do?

Despite the objections from Edwards, the UFC should push to make the Wonderboy – Edwards fight. Despite the complaints from Edwards, he really hasn’t defeated anyone of significance inside the welterweight division. His best wins came against Donald Cerrone and Rafael Dos Anjos.

Neither one of those guys are true UFC welterweights. I really don’t understand Edwards’ argument. Yes, he’s won eight consecutive fights, but he hasn’t defeated any top guys in the welterweight division. Wonderboy would by far be the best fighter that Edwards has fought in the division.

Kamaru Usman is fighting Gilbert Burns for the title at UFC 256, and the promotion is working on booking Jorge Masvidal – Colby Covington. The winner of that fight will fight the winner of the Usman – Burns matchup which takes place in December.

Edwards has been begging for a top four opponent, but there’s nobody to fight at the moment. Edwards is in a position now where he either needs to accept the Wonderboy fight, or wait until 2021 for the top four to finish their fights.

Stephen Thompson turns down UFC match with Khamzat Chimaev: ‘It just doesn’t make sense for me’

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The UFC has been trying to book a headlining fight with their budding star Khamzat Chimaev (9-0). The promotion is wanting to have Chimaev headline a Fight Night in November once they return from this latest stint on Fight Island.

The UFC had been offering the fight to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (15-4-1). However, Wonderboy didn’t seem interested and instead has spent his time calling out Leon Edwards (18-3) for a fight. Both of those men rank inside the UFC‘s top five at welterweight.

Dana White said that the UFC was close to finalizing a matchup for Chimaev that was not Demian Maia. Maia was originally supposed to fight Chimaev if Chimaev defeated Gerald Meerschaert. After Chimaev knocked out Meerschaert in 14 seconds, the promotion had other plans.

The UFC appeared to still be angling for the Wonderboy fight. However, Wonderboy has continued to turn the fight down. He elaborated more on his YouTube channel saying, “No, I’m not fighting him, man. I mean, it just doesn’t make sense for me at this point. I’m ranked No. 5 to fight a guy who is unranked?”

UFC’s booking issue

You can’t really blame Wonderboy for his train of thought. Wonderboy has been grinding for years in the UFC‘s welterweight division and he’s fought for the title twice. This would be a total stepping stone type of fight for Chimaev.

If you’re asking me, Thompson is thinking correctly. The fight to make is between Thompson and Leon Edwards. Both of those UFC welterweights need a fight, and they are both in the top five. Edwards wants a high profile fight, but most of the top contenders are booked.

The UFC then has an issue with Chimaev. I’m not sure if Maia decided to turn down the fight, but that to me was still the fight to make. Chimaev would be a massive favorite, but Maia has challenged for UFC gold multiple times in his career.

It would be a massive name and a big victory for the Russian. White said that the UFC was close to announcing something, but it wasn’t Maia. We now know it’s not Thompson either. I’m going to be really interested to see who the UFC decides to book across from Khamzat Chimaev next.