The new UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev is already fielding questions about his first title defense just minutes after taking the title from Dricus du Plessis at UFC 318 on Saturday night.
Chimaev (15-0) has plenty of potential challengers, but he’s not picky. Line them up and ‘Borz’ will take them down.
“I don’t care about these things,” Chimaev told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.
“I just…where they give the money I’ll fight anyone.”
One such name, even though he may be near the end of the title shot line, is former champion Sean Strickland. Strickland took to social media to say that he was the only one who could out-grapple Chimaev. The two trained together for a short time and Strickland claimed he outwrestled the Chechen fighter.
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The champion cracked a smile.
“Bro Dricus take him down many times. How can he take me down? This guy I beat him everywhere. This guy just talk too much,” he said.
“He’s funny guy.”
Chimaev even proposed to make it tougher for himself. 2 on 1 anyone?
“He’s working with, what’s his name, (Borrachina)? Yeah Paulo. I’ll meet them together,” said Chimaev.
The new champion has a ritual of calling his mother following his fights to let her know he’s ok. This call was very much different as the son called his mother to give her the good news.
“She was crying. Mom I’m the champ now so don’t cry,” Chimaev said. “I’ll be back soon.”
Chimaev wasn’t alone on the card as training partner and friend Baisangur Susurkaev made his UFC debut 4 days after earning a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Borz had high-praise for his friend.
“I knew him long time before. My friends they worked with him, trained with him. He’s younger than me, he’s been in the gym in Chechnya and then he moved when I moved back. He moved to US. He lives in Miami in great gym he’s training there,” he said.
“Good future. When I come here we call him, bring him to the camp, work with this guy. Crazy good talent and young. 24 years only. If he works hard he’s the next champ.”
Watch the entire post-fight crum with Khamzat Chimaev above.
