UFC Vegas 54: Nick Maximov “Down To Fight Khamzat”, Expects To Finish Petroski

Las Vegas, NV – Nick Diaz Academy product UFC middleweight Nick Maximov is back in the octagon and takes on Andre Petroski as the very first fight of the night at UFC Vegs 54 on Saturday.

Maximov (8-0) took no time to shoot down the notion that Petroski asked to fight him.

“No, that’s cap. That’s a lie. I actually tried to fight him in LFA a year-and-a-half ago, he didn’t want it. Him and Tresean Gore, the same two people, because I’ve been trying to fight them last two years since COVID. Neither one of them wanted to fight because both of them had COVID during that same time frame. Yeah I’ve been wanting it,” Maximov told reporters on Wednesday.

Petroski (7-1-) has collegiate wrestling experience and has said he’s a better wrestler than Maximov which made the California native smile.

“Oh we’ll see. Everyone says something and then Saturday rolls around and they’ve got a different answer for it. So we’ll see,” he said.

Looking ahead to Saturday night Maximov looks at this bout as his chance to shut Petroski up.

“I think it’s a finish. I think it’s a UFC fighter versus a regional fighter. He was trying to dog on the people I’ve fought and all of them have winning records. The two dudes he’s fought in the UFC aren’t even here no more. Then before that he was still fighting people with negative records, and losing to people with negative records. I’m like, how are you trying to diss me when I’m fighting the top prospects already,” Maximov said.

“You know what I’m saying? I think he’s just kind of delusional and I think it’s going to show.”

Based off Maximov’s last fight many fans felt he isn’t the most exciting fighter on the roster, some going as far as to call him boring.

“Oh it’s hilarious dude, I troll people too. I don’t troll people, but sometimes I do if I’m bored. Like this week I was doing it because you’ve got nothing to do all week. So I’m just like talking back, whatever. I don’t really care man. I got 11 takedowns last fight. I can see how for some people it might be boring, but I think it was just a strategical performance in that sense,” Maximov said.

“In my opinion I broke the record because I only had 3 rounds to do it and I think the other guy had 5. I don’t really think too much into it.”

One viral video showed teammate Nate Diaz and Maximov talking about Khamzat Chimaev.

“I’m down to fight Khamzat. I’m for real about that. Nate was still talking and I was just looking at him and for some reason the camera pointed at me. I was like ‘What the f*ck?’ It happens I guess,” Maximov said.

“Yeah I’m down to fight that fool though. I don’t know why everyone’s trippin’ so hard. I mean he’s a good fighter. Everyone in the UFC is good though. So I’m down with it.”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 54 Media Day appearance by Nick Maximov above. More coverage from the event can be found at CagesidePress.com