On Saturday, it will have been 406 days since Khamzat Chimaev last stepped into the Octagon. He will finally return from his hiatus as he takes on Kamaru Usman at UFC 294.
Chimaev’s original opponent, Paulo Costa, pulled out of the bout due to a nasty injury to his elbow that resulted in a staph infection. Fortunately for everyone, former welterweight champion Usman stepped up.
This will mark Usman’s first fight at middleweight during his eight year UFC tenure.
At the UFC 294 media day, “Borz” stated that he believes he is the money fight in the middleweight division and that’s why Usman accepted to fight him.
“The guy [Usman] came for money, and the money fight is me.”
“Since day one that I got to the UFC everyone has spoke about Khamzat vs Usman and our wrestling skills and striking and all these things. Usman is old, I’m new. It’s like when new iPhone’s come out, he’s iphone 5, I’m iPhone Pro.”
UFC President, Dana White, has upped the stakes for this fight, stating that the winner will receive the next title shot in the middleweight division.
Khamzat Chimaev offered his opinion on former training partner Sean Strickland as a fighter.
“All match-ups are good for me. It makes money.” Later, he’d expand on the subject.
“I’ve taken him down, I’ve held him down, I’ve choked him, I’ve punched him. I mean I’ve done all those things so I don’t see anything special about him. He’s a fighters fighter, he’s a good fighter— if you look at him he’s an American cowboy from the movies, that’s the kind of guy he is, but we’ve done our work in the gym together and if they offer him to me and I can fight him for the belt, that’s what I’ll do.
“I think if you compare us on a skill level-wise, I’m levels above him. I’m in a whole different stratosphere from him. He’s not a threat to me. But he’s a good guy, a good fighter.”
Watch the UFC 294 media day appearance from Khamzat Chimaev above.
