[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] believes [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] is overreacting to his double booking going into UFC on ESPN+ 36.
Chimaev (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is in an extremely rare position in UFC history going into Saturday’s middleweight matchup with Meerschaert (30-13 MMA, 6-5 UFC), which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+. In addition to having this fight lined up, he is also booked to fight Demian Maia in October down at welterweight.
Meerschaert has taken disrespect from the situation, feeling that both Chimaev and the UFC brass are counting him out before even stepping in the octagon. Chimaev, however, doesn’t see it as a big deal.
“I don’t know why he’s disrespected,” Chimaev told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 virtual media day. “Amateur boxing people go with five or six fights. I go fight here and now after one month, but I did in 10 days two fights. I don’t know why he feels like this.”
Although Chimaev has shown a lack of emotion about everything in public, that apparently wasn’t the case when he saw Meerschaert in private. The pair ran into each other at the fighter hotel during fight week, and words were exchanged.
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Meerschaert gave his account of the moment when he spoke to media, and Chimaev’s story was slightly different.
“He speaks too much, he talks too much,” Chimaev said. “He say, ‘You disrespect me.’ I didn’t like that. I said, ‘I’m going to smash you, chicken.’ And he say nothing and I go from there.”
All the talk will be over when the two enter the octagon on Saturday, and Chimaev said he’s going to treat Meerschaert the same he has every other opponent in his career. With a lopsided finish.
“I’m better everywhere,” Chimaev said. “I’m better wrestling, I’m better grappling. I’m better in striking. No one going to stop me. … I don’t know what’s going to happen on Saturday night, but I’m going to go 100 percent to kill this guy. That’s what I know. With everything to finish him.'”
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