Getty UFC star Khamzat Chimaev celebrates win.
Rising superstar Khamzat Chimaev’s UFC momentum was halted after being shelved for more than a year due to lasting effects from COVID-19. However, he’s back and ready to restart his run inside the Octagon.
Chimaev is scheduled to fight No. 11-ranked welterweight Li Jingliang during the UFC 267 main card on Saturday, October 30, 2021. It will mark Chimaev’s first fight since September 2020 when he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in only 17 seconds. “Borz” has won all three of his UFC bouts within the distance, two at middleweight and one at 170 pounds.
Jingliang is coming off a big KO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio and “The Leech” is 4-1 in his last five fights.
The winner of the match will be knocking on the door of the UFC’s top 10 and put them one step closer to a 170-pound title fight.
Chimaev Is ‘Hungry,’ Wants the Fight to Go 2 or 3 Rounds
During a recent interview with UFC Arabia, Chimaev gave his thoughts on fighting Jingliang. Borz is looking to get some Octagon minutes under his belt, telling the outlet that he doesn’t want a quick finish.
“I hope he’s gonna give me some fight,” Chimaev said via MMA Junkie. “Not finish him in like one minute or two minutes. I want to fight more because I’m hungry. I didn’t fight for one year, and I hope he’s gonna go two or three rounds.”
There is respect between Borz and The Leech, but that won’t stop Chimaev from doing what he needs to do to get the win.
“I like him, too – he’s a good guy, but I have to beat him up,” Chimaev said. “People who do this sport, in MMA the guys who are high-level know you can’t beat nine guys, nine finishes and be just hype. People talk about me being famous, blah, blah, blah. I’m a fighter. I’m a warrior. That’s why I’m here.”
“I don’t have some plans for the fight,” he continued. “I just go in and fight. Everything comes natural. Just go in and kill him.”
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2 Championship Fights Top Off UFC 267
UFC 267 is headlined by a light heavyweight championship bout, pitting reigning king Jan Blachowicz against Glover Teixeira. In the co-main event slot, the interim 135-pound belt is on the line as champion Aljamain Sterling continues to be sidelined with an injury.
Former champ Petr Yan will take on Cory Sandhagen for the belt and the likely chance to unify the title against Sterling. See the full UFC 267 fight card below:
Main Card
Jan Blachowicz (c) vs. Glover Teixeira, Light Heavyweight Championship
Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen, Interim Bantamweight Championship
Islam Makhachev vs. Dan Hooker, Lightweight
Alexander Volkov vs. Marcin Tybura, Heavyweight
Li Jingliang vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Welterweight
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Volkan Oezdemir, Light Heavyweight
Preliminary card
Amanda Ribas vs. Virna Jandiroba, Women’s Strawweight
Ricardo Ramos vs. Zubaira Tukhugov, Featherweight
Albert Duraev vs. Roman Kopylov, Middleweight
Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Shamil Gamzatov, Light Heavyweight
Makwan Amirkhani vs. Lerone Murphy, Featherweight
Hu Yaozong vs. Andre Petroski, Middleweight
Damir Ismagulov vs. Magomed Mustafaev, Lightweight
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Allan Nascimento, Flyweight
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