Khamzat Chimaev Annouces Kamaru Usman Fight is in the Works
A massive top-5 matchup between Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev is rumored to go down on October 30th inside the Etihad Arena at UFC 294, per Chimaev via his YouTube channel.
This bout takes place in a currently unknown weight class.
Kamaru Usman holds a professional record of 20-3 (15-2 UFC) and is ranked #1 in the Welterweight division. He holds notable wins over Colby Covington, Leon Edwards, and Jorge Masvidal.
Khamzat Chimaev holds an undefeated professional record of 12-0 (6-0 UFC) and is ranked #4 in the Welterweight division. He has credible wins against Kevin Holland, Gilbert Burns, and Li Jingliang.
Current Odds: Kamaru Usman +145, Khamzat Chimaev -170, per BestFightOdds as of May 24th 8AM EST
Kamaru Usman is currently in uncharted territory in his career. After amassing a 15-0 perfect record inside the UFC, alongside four title defenses, he finally tasted defeat to Leon Edwards at UFC 278, where he lost via a shocking upset KO in the fifth round. Following this loss, Usman would lose again in his last bout in their rematch, unable to outstrike Edwards or secure meaningful takedowns. As a result, many fans speculate that this could be the final fight of Usman's career, and at 36 years old, it may be. Still, Usman is a former Champion for a reason and a massive threat to every Welterweight in the division, and he'll be looking to use his accurate striking and elite wrestling to hand Chimaev his first loss in this matchup.
Khamzat Chimaev finally has a fight. Chimaev has shown so much potential in his six UFC bouts and has struggled to find a matchup despite being in the prime years of his career. His last bout came at the wild ufc 279, where he weighed in 7.5 lbs over the Welterweight limit, subsequentially canceling his bout with Nate Diaz and forcing Kevin Holland to take a 180 lbs catchweight matchup. Chimaev dominated the bout, scrambling with Holland for minutes before finding the D'Arce choke submission. Since then, he hasn't fought in over eight months but will finally return over a year from his last bout. He'll be looking to use his explosive wrestling and striking to secure the most significant victory of his career vs. Usman.
If this bout gets signed on paper, it will be one of the year's most anticipated bouts. So who do you think will win? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your prediction in the comments below.
