Khamzat Chimaev wants to return at UFC 285 but can’t find a willing opponent.
UFC 285 will take place on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
The 28 year old Chimaev (12-0 MMA), last fought in September of this year at UFC 279 where he defeated Kevin Holland (23-9 MMA) via submission.
It is true that the Swede is currently ranked No. 3 at welterweight but after missing weight for his last bout there’s a question as to whether he’ll stay at 170 pounds or move up to middleweight.
According to ‘Borz’, he just wants to fight.
In speaking from a video blog in Dubai, where he is training, Khamzat Chimaev had this to say (h/t MMAMania):
“It doesn’t matter (if it’s 170 or 185), just need some opponent. I’m tired to do it, the trash talking. This is not my game. I am the next for the title, so … who are these guys gonna fight?”
Continuing, Chimaev spoke about middleweight champion Alex Pereira:
“Alex Pereira, he has 6-1 record, he’s lost. I’ve never lost in my life. And he lost to a s**t guy, the guy isn’t in the UFC as well. UFC doesn’t want it, the guy don’t want it. What am I gonna do? I just wanna fight, give me somebody. If the guys run away from me, just give me somebody.”
“Nobody wants to fight. F**k these boys. They gave me four different countries, four different opponents, nobody want to fight.”
Reiterating that no one wants to fight him, Chimaev said:
“Training camp, brother! Gonna fight somebody. I don’t know who. They change your opponents all day, all the time. So every week, I has new opponent. But nobody want to fight. The guys speak a lot of trash talk, a lot of about me. ‘I want to fight you! I want to fight you!’ But when it comes to the fight and sign the contract, they want to run away.”
Concluding Chimaev said:
“I’m always ready. We’ll see what’s gonna happen now. I think it will be, I hope so, Vegas, March. We’ll see, but I don’t know who.”
While there has been no formal announcement from the UFC, there were indications that a Khamzat Chimaev vs Colby Covington (17-3 MMA) could be a possibility.
Covington has not fought since March of 2022 at UFC 272 where he defeated Jorge Masvidal (35-16 MMA) via unanimous decision.
Who would you like to see Khamzat fight next?
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