Khamzat Chimaev has a message for all those questioning his opposition in the UFC so far.
Chimaev (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has been touted as a future champion by many after dominating his first four UFC fights, but some haven’t been sold on his level of competition so far.
The unbeaten 27-year-old, who’s finished all his professional wins, is coming off a first-round submission of Li Jingliang this past October at UFC 267. Prior to that, Chimaev ran through John Phillips, Rhys McKee and Gerald Meerschaert. However, the most notable stat in Chimaev’s dominant UFC run is that he’s only absorbed one significant strike – something he says not even former light heavyweight king Jon Jones was able to do.
“Who (went) in the cage: 10 fights, 10 finishes?” Chimaev said on Block Access’ “Smesh Bros” VLOG (h/t The Mac Life). “The guys tell like, ‘Oh, he didn’t fight this guy, he didn’t fight that guy.’ But the guys who’s the best guys – Jon Jones: His first four fights in UFC, he get the punch. I didn’t get the punch. We don’t say: (Jones’) first fights, he didn’t get the best ones – the guys, you know, like, super good guys. Nobody. Conor (McGregor) didn’t get that – crazy good guys in his first fights. Nobody. Khabib (Nurmagomedov) didn’t get crazy good guys. I just need the time.”
Chimaev will be taking a big leap in competition when he faces former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 on April 9 in a fight that is being dubbed as a No. 1 contender bout by UFC president Dana White.
Khamzat Chimaev addresses doubters: Jon Jones’ first four fights in UFC he got punched, and I didn’t
