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UFC star Khamzat Chimaev shared a highly-anticipated update on his return inside the cage.
Top-ranked welterweight contender Chimaev has been out of action since taking on Kevin Holland in Sep. at UFC 279. He was originally scheduled to face grizzled veteran Nate Diaz in the headlining bout of the card but needed to shuffle opponents after missing the nontitle weight limit by a massive seven and a half pounds.
Chimaev got paired with Holland to serve as the co-main event. He handily dispatched Holland in the first round of the contest without absorbing a single significant strike, a feat he achieved for the fourth time under the banner.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, ‘Borz’ shared the ongoing developments in getting booked for his next outing.
“They gave me four different countries, four different opponents,” Chimaev said (transcribed by Sherdog). “Nobody wants to fight. I’m gonna fight somebody, I don’t know who. They change opponents all the time. Every week I have new opponent, but nobody wants to fight … I’m always ready.”
Chimaev Is Eyeing a Return in March
As a welterweight who’s in the mix of title contention, Chimaev does not currently have many options that would make sense for him. The rising sensation has been looking to get a shot at the gold but faces frustration in getting the right matchups ahead.
He is likely targeting a return for either UFC 285 or UFC 286, the two pay-per-view cards in March 2023.
“We’ll see what’s gonna happen now. I think we’ll be, hope so, March but I don’t know who. It doesn’t matter. Just need some opponent …I am the next for the title, so who are these guys going to fight.”
He got linked to a potential top contender contest with former interim champion Colby Covington, but no concrete developments have come yet. While he wanted a fight with former champion Kamaru Usman, the recent dethroning by reigning 170-pound titleholder Leon Edwards added another wrinkle in his journey.
Chimaev Called Out Alex Pereira Again
Chimaev has experience competing at both welterweight and middleweight in the UFC. Company president Dana White indicated plans for an immediate title rematch between Usman and Edwards in the UFC 278 post-fight press conference, leaving Chimaev’s chances for the strap on the sidelines for longer.
Former 185-pound king Israel Adesanya faced longtime foe, Alex Pereira, at UFC 281 last month. He appeared to be ahead on the judges’ scorecards and on his way to another title defense when Pereira pulled off an incredible comeback and scored a fifth-round standing TKO of Adesanya.
Once he realized a welterweight title shot would not be in the near future, ‘Borz’ changed his tune and aimed at the newly crowned middleweight champion ‘Poatan.’
He reiterated his callout of Pereira and insisted he just wanted to get back inside the octagon.
“[UFC middleweight champ] Alex Pereira, he has (a 7-1) record. He lost. I never lost in my life, and he lost against a s—t guy. The guy isn’t in the UFC, as well. UFC doesn’t want it. The guy don’t want it. What am I going to do? I just want to fight. Give me somebody. If the guys run away from me, just give me somebody. I’m ready.”
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