Usman Vs. Chimaev? White Will Have To ‘Talk About It’

UFC President, Dana White, isn’t a big fan of Kamaru Usman’s recent challenge to Khamzat Chimaev.

The former Welterweight kingpin, Usman, is looking to temporarily move on from new titleholder and rival, Leon Edwards, by getting back in the win column over a notable name. Recently suggesting the prospect of a match up with the No. 3-ranked divisional contender, Chimaev, it doesn’t look like Usman will get it in the fashion he’d originally hoped … if he were to at all.

“No, because what I hate about that fight is Usman’s calling him out but he’s calling him out at a Catchweight,” White told Jim Rome of making the fight. “I don’t do Catchweights. I don’t like Catchweights. Catchweights mean nothing. They mean absolutely nothing.

“If he wants to move up to 185 and fight him, we can talk about it,” he concluded. “But trying to fight him at a Catchweight, I’m not interested in.”

While Usman intends on remaining at 170 pounds despite his last two fights seeing him lose to the champion, Edwards, Chimaev, on the other hand, appears destined for his return to Middleweight.

Chimaev dominantly defeated Kevin Holland at UFC 279 in Sept. 2022 (watch highlights) after missing weight by 7.5 pounds for his originally scheduled Welterweight main event opposite Nate Diaz. “Borz” has remained on the sideline since, vocalizing his interest in continuing to get the big fights at either weight class and preferring the title. Ultimately, Middleweight seems to be the likeliest move according to not only him but his coach and White as well.

Should Usman, 35, decide to ever try his hand in the northern weight class, it would be his first fight above 180 pounds and his first above 170 since his third-career scrap.