Undefeated welterweight/middleweight Khamzat Chimaev has made quite the splash in the UFC for his quick turnarounds and fast finishes. The 26-year-old Chechen made his Octagon debut on July 16 defeating John Phillips by submission. Chimaev then set the record for the quickest turnaround between UFC wins by taking a fight against Rhys McKee 10 days later.
At UFC Vegas 11 on Sept. 19, Chimaev knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds. He’s earned Performance of the Night bonuses in each of his three UFC bouts and after his latest victory, Chimaev drew praise from UFC president Dana White.
“The guy is special,” White said during the UFC Vegas 11 Post-Fight Press Conference. “I’ve been in this game my whole life, I’ve never seen anything like him. He’s special, he’s different. He wants to fight again, so I’ve never been in a position where I’m like, ‘Who’s next? How do we get him a fight? How do we get him over here? How do we do this? How do we do that?’ It’s fun and I like it.
“I think when you’re a fight fan, a guy like this is the type of guy that you love to watch and follow and hate and whatever it might be. This guy is one of the most special fighters I’ve ever seen, if not the most special guy that I’ve ever come across. And he kept telling me leading up to this fight, ‘You think I’m a wrestler. Wait until you see my hands.’ Holy s–t, he wasn’t lying.”
Chimaev may get another quick turnaround. The next five UFC events are taking place at the Flash Forum on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Rumors are that he may face sixth-ranked Demian Maia on one of the fight cards.
On Wednesday, Chimaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, spoke about the potential bout against Maia, but has his eyes set on other opponents.
“Demian Maia, it’s a good fight, but I’m looking for him to fight Nate Diaz, or (Jorge) Masvidal, some of these guys because I think he mops the floor with them. I think he would beat the s–t out of these guys,” Abdelaziz told TMZ Sports.
“If Demian Maia is the guy then we’re going to fight Demian Maia, but I don’t think it’s a fair fight to be honest with you. I think the odds are going to be -1200,” said Abdelaziz.
There have been rumblings on social media about a match between Chimaev and Conor McGregor, but Abdelaziz isn’t in favor of that bout.
“Conor McGregor is mentally unstable. I wish him the best of luck. He has kids. He has family. I want him to take care of his personal issues,” he said. “Khamzat would really put him in a wheelchair and he would drink from a straw for the rest of his life.”
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Manager: ‘Khamzat Chimaev would put Conor McGregor in a wheelchair’
