Khamzat Chimaev has taken a pot shot at welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, after the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ spoke about previously considering a jump to light-heavyweight.
Usman, who is close friends with Israel Adesanya, planned on skipping middleweight and trying for the light-heavyweight title against Jan Blachowicz, as he revealed recently in an interview with GQ.
‘I was going to skip Israel and go fight Jan at 205 [pounds],’ Usman said. ‘Because I’m pound-for-pound, I want to prove it. No matter what weight it is, I thought he was a really good matchup for me.’
Kamaru Usman said he had considered moving up to take on Jan Blachowicz
As it happened, Adesanya went up, failed in his bid to become a two-weight champion before Blachowicz was dethroned by Glover Teixeira.
The talk of Usman moving up in weight has provoked a reaction in Chimaev, who has taken the welterweight division by storm in the UFC.
The Cechen-born fighter is still unbeaten and waiting for his next encounter, but has eyes on Usman’s belt aready.
He tweeted: ‘So your trying to change weight before I come for you?
Dana White described Khamzat Chimaev as the best prospect he has ever seen
‘Don’t go anywhere I am coming! I smash you and burns in 2 mins believe me! I’m THE KING here.’
Usman is expected to face British standout Leon Edwards next but if Chimaev can fight Gilbert Burns and win handily before any title fight is agreed, there’s a strong chance he’ll be given the next opportunity.
Burns and Chimaev agreed they would fight each other but as of yet, nothing has been announced.
The 27-year-old is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in recent years and Dana White said he had never seem anything like him.
Whether in time he can usurp the pound-for-pound king is another matter entirely.
Gilbert Burns has been touted as the next potential opponent for Chimaev to face
ncG1vNJzZmhqZGy7psPSmqmorZ6Zwamx1qippZxemLyue9Kppquso2S4qa3Ms5itZZOdtq6txK9krZmbmsBurcimZJqsXaCurq3RrmSuq52Wu26txa2cq2Wlm7Bur8eapKmhn6N6s7HVnpilnZRixKa1xqGrZpuYlruosYypo5qmXw%3D%3D