Darren Till makes bold prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman got the call to step in on late notice to take on the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev with nine days before UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.

Usman accepted the fight but former UFC fighter Darren Till doesn’t think it will go well for the ‘The Nigerian Nightmare.’

“Usman’s got balls but I just think Khamzat’s going to run over him,” Till told The Schmo.  “As much as I’m his friend, I’m his biggest fan, Khamzat, I think he’s going to run over Usman.”  

Chimaev was originally slated to face Paulo Costa but Costa was pulled from the fight card after it was revealed that he had surgery weeks before the event.

Related: Kamaru Usman explains decision to face Khamzat Chimaev

Chimaev, now a middleweight, is ranked fourth in the 170-pound weight class.  A win over Costa would have put him in contender status in the middleweight division.  The deal got even sweeter when UFC president Dana White stated that the Chimaev-Usman winner would get the next title shot against champion Sean Strickland. 

The stakes will be high on Saturday when the two step inside the octagon.  Till believes Chimaev will win in dominating fashion and then take on the champion.  

“Khamzat’s going to rag doll him,” Till said.