Tag: Khamzat Chimaev

UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis: No middleweight can ‘overpower me,’ not even Khamzat Chimaev

UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis has no doubt he can match Khamzat Chimaev’s physical prowess.

UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] has no doubt he can match [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s physical prowess.

Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) turned his attention to Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) after the unbeaten contender ran through Robert Whittaker for a first-round submission this past Saturday at UFC 308. Chimaev’s strength and grappling proved to be too much once again, but Du Plessis says “Borz” won’t be able to impose his will on him.

“When I fight, I don’t know how to back up,” Du Plessis told TMZ. “I’m going to go out there and fight you. We’ve seen this with Khamzat, slowing down after the first round, round-and-a-half, and I think that is because he uses so much power.

“He has the wrestling technique, of course, but he uses his strength as a weapon. In this case, he has a gun, and I have a tank when it comes to the strength. There’s not a middleweight that’s going to overpower me. It’s not going to happen.”

In the UFC 308 post-fight news conference, Chimaev was asked by MMA Junkie about Du Plessis’ grappling, which he immediately dismissed – but the champion issued him a warning.

“If it’s Khamzat, you think you’re strong, you think you’re powerful, you have not felt anything,” Du Plessis said. “And I can’t wait until I see it on his face because I see it on every single person I fight’s face. When they realize, ‘Oh sh*t.’ That’s the message.”

Du Plessis also explained his decision of pivoting to Chimaev over a Sean Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) rematch. Du Plessis claimed the middleweight title by edging out Strickland at UFC 297, a fight Strickland believes he won.

“I completely welcome the Strickland rematch. I’d love to get that finish because for Sean, he needs a win back, I need a finish,” Du Plessis said. “He doesn’t mind to fight boring fights like most of his fights. That’s why he has seven or eight split decision wins. For me, I want to fight a guy like Khamzat to throw down. Not say that he’s going to then jab for five rounds. Myself and Sean, it was a close fight, but there was no doubt in my mind that I won that fight. … Strickland just beat Paulo Costa in a very boring fight once again, right after our fight.

“Whether it was close or not, it’s still a loss. Khamzat, they’ve hyped up this guy for so long, but he hasn’t come to fruition. He hasn’t lost, but the fight cancellations and him being sick. Sometimes that’s out of our control. But he was the first guy to ever submit Rob, and he did it in the first round, and that warrants him jumping the gun on Sean Strickland for me. If you ask me personally, that’s a fight I would rather want because that’s a fight the people want. It’s a fight more fans want, and I believe Khamzat is the next best guy.”

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Kamaru Usman: Khamzat Chimaev ‘100 percent’ can take down Dricus Du Plessis, not sure if he finishes

Kamaru Usman admits Khamzat Chimaev is “hell in that first round,” but he’s not sure that’s enough to beat UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis.

[autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] doesn’t doubt [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s chances of taking UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] down to the ground.

Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) dominated former champ Robert Whittaker to earn a first-round submission in Saturday’s UFC 308 co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Usman has first-hand experience of Chimaev’s strength. Usman was taken down and controlled for all of Round 1 of their matchup at UFC 294, but he managed to survive the onslaught. He wound up losing the bout by majority decision after rallying late.

Just like how Chimaev managed to control Whittaker, Usman doesn’t see it going any differently for Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) – but maybe not a finish.

“Khamzat is hell in that first round,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “He is hell when he’s dry like that, and he’s big and strong, and he still moves like a welterweight. It’s hell for anybody. Do I think he can do that to Dricus? I think 100 percent he could take Dricus down.

“I think he can keep him down, but I don’t know if he can get the finish because Dricus is very, very tough. There’s a reason Dricus is the champ. He’s very tough, and Dricus will not stop trying. Will Khamzat take him down? Yes. Could he keep him down? Yes, maybe the whole first round. But can he finish him? I don’t know.”

Chimaev’s performance got middleweight champion Du Plessis’ attention, and he could end up leapfrogging Sean Strickland as No. 1 contender after UFC 308.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

UFC champ Dricus Du Plessis: Khamzat Chimaev ‘gets me more excited’ than Sean Strickland rematch

Dricus Du Plessis has diverted his attention to Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 308.

Middleweight champion [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] has diverted his attention to [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] after UFC 308.

Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) was expecting to run things back with [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) for his next title defense. But after Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) ran through former champ Robert Whittaker for a first-round submission in Saturday’s UFC 308 co-main event, Du Plessis now has a new target.

“We always knew that, between Rob and Khamzat, if it was going to be something exceptional that happens, there might be a change in the title fight,” Du Plessis told Radioraps. “We have no clarity on that, but as a fan of the sport, and as the middleweight champion of the world, that’s a fight that gets me more excited – taking somebody’s 0. I’ve beaten Strickland before, and I know I’ll beat him again.

“Getting that Khamzat fight, that gets me excited. I think the whole world, the fans want to see it. The fans ultimately pay to watch the fights. So, the fight the world thinks is the best next fight, that’s what I want. I think the Khamzat fight is 100 percent what I want. The UFC is going to do what they’re going to do, but from a fan perspective and from a fighter’s perspective, I think Khamzat should get the next shot.”

Du Plessis’ head coach, Morne Visser, echoed that sentiment on Instagram.

“3 athletes that started their UFC careers around the same time @tomaspinallofficial @dricusduplessis @iliatopuria 3 world champions, that will stay champions for a really long time!

Massive congrats to @iliatopuria on a phenomenal performance.

We want Khamzat next in February.
Prepare to be amazed once again.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBpzYxTopvd/?img_index=1

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Joe Rogan: ‘Scary ass motherf*cker’ Khamzat Chimaev should get UFC middleweight title shot

Joe Rogan backs Khamzat Chimaev to get the next UFC middleweight title shot.

[autotag]Joe Rogan[/autotag] backs [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] to get the next UFC middleweight title shot.

Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) crushed former champion Robert Whittaker’s jaw for a first-round submission in Saturday’s UFC 308 co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Sean Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) was originally tabbed by Dana White as champion Dricus Du Plessis’ next challenger, but after Chimaev’s dominant performance, Rogan was left in awe.

“Once he gets a hold of you, it’s so dangerous,” Rogan said during his Fight Companion podcast. “He gets a title shot, I think. … Not just that (beating Whittaker in the first round), but ran through him. He didn’t get touched. He ran through him and strangled him in the first round. He might be the guy. Think about this at 185: So this guy was killing himself to get to 170. At 185, he’s the f*cking man. That guy’s a scary ass motherf*cker – scary. That grappling is next level.”

After losing his title to Du Plessis by split decision at UFC 297, Strickland rebounded with a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June. He refuses to compete again unless it’s a title-fight rematch against Du Plessis.

However, Strickland’s title opportunity could be in danger. Du Plessis’ head coach, Morne Visser, posted on Instagram that they want Chimaev next on Feb. 8 at UFC 312 in Sydney.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Daniel Cormier: Khamzat Chimaev earned title shot at UFC 308, Sean Strickland should be worried

After UFC 308, Daniel Cormier believes Khamzat Chimaev likely leapfrogged Sean Strickland as No. 1 middleweight contender.

After UFC 308, [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] believes [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] likely has leapfrogged [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] as No. 1 middleweight contender.

Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) ran through former champion Robert Whittaker (27-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) for a first-round submission in Saturday’s co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) was expected to be next in line for a title-fight rematch with champion Dricus Du Plessis, but Cormier isn’t so sure after Chimaev made quick work of Whittaker.

“Khamzat Chimaev earned himself a title shot, or at least he should have,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “He submitted Robert Whittaker in the first round – first round! Went across the octagon, double-legged him, took him down, choked him, and broke his jaw – broke his jaw! With a squeeze from a rear-naked choke. It was nuts to see him do that to a guy that was the generation before him, was one of the guys. Robert Whittaker for a long time has been one of the guys. When he wasn’t the champion, he was ranked No. 1, or No. 2. Chimaev is ranked No. 12 right now.

“He went and beat him in the first round. And if you’re Sean Strickland, that result worries you. Why? Because Mick Maynard is sitting next to me and jumps up and runs to Dana, and they start talking with Hunter (Campbell). Dana immediately runs over to follow Chimaev to talk to him. That’s scary to a guy that’s considered the No. 1 contender because that tells you things are happening. Khamzat Chimaev, to me, solidified himself as the No. 1 contender at 185 pounds. His wrestling, his top control, his mentality, his approach, it’s not like many things we have seen.”

Since losing his middleweight title in a split decision loss to Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January, Strickland rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 302 in June. He previously stated that he refuses to take another fight unless it’s for the title and is still confident that he’s next for Du Plessis.

“Understand one thing…. I am next in line….. Its been said, its been written… January/February me and @dricusduplessis are scrapping Go back to Chechnya and wait a few months….. wait.. sorry UAE… you’re not allowed in Chechnya…But hey crypto scams while you wait.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBpQPTZRJ3q/?igsh=MXNnMWtkcHd5a2pweQ%3D%3D&img_index=1

“Khamzat Chimaev should be fighting for the belt next,” Cormier added. “He really should. I don’t know what the UFC is going to do, but if they say, ‘Hey, you’re next,’ I don’t know that Sean has much in terms of reasons how he can complain to the organization about how they’re wrong.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Video: Should Khamzat Chimaev leapfrog Sean Strickland for a title shot after UFC 308?

Khamzat Chimaev entered the chat in a big way at UFC 308. Is he up next for a title shot? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

The UFC middleweight title picture just got more interesting with [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s latest win.

This past Saturday, Chimaev crushed former champion Robert Whittaker by first-round submission in the co-main event of UFC 308. Chimaev not only kept his undefeated record, but he also re-established himself as a top contender in the division.

However, even though champion Dricus Du Plessis has yet to be booked for his second title defense, UFC CEO Dana White has publicly said that Sean Strickland is up next for a crack at the belt. But will he end up getting the shot following Chimaev’s latest impressive win?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom, Danny Segura, and host “Gorgeous” George discuss Chimaev’s big win over Whittaker and whether it was enough to leapfrog Strickland.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/h6-QMNMPZ9A

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Overreaction Time: Ilia Topuria era upon us, Khamzat Chimaev the boogeyman, Dana White goes too far, more!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” as host Simon Samano and Nolan King cover the fallout from UFC 308 and much more.

The time for overreacting is here!

Check out the latest episode of “Overreaction Time” at noon ET/9 a.m. PT as host Simon Samano and MMA Junkie reporter Nolan King debate these “overreactions” on the following topics in mixed martial arts:

  • [autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag] will STILL be UFC featherweight champion at the end of 2025.
  • [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] is unstoppable and therefore his UFC title reign is inevitable.
  • Forget about [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] ever reclaiming UFC titles.
  • [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] is COMPLETELY out of bounds and full of sh*t when it comes to [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag].
  • The antitrust settlement approval feels like a bigger win for the UFC than the fighters.
  • Monday’s headline will read: ‘[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag], [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] primed for UFC title shots’

Watch the full episode in the video above.

UFC 308 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Ilia Topuria’s $42,000 leads card

Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway combined for $74,000 of the Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay for UFC 308.

ABU DHABI – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 308 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $252,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 308 took place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN+

The full UFC 308 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Magomed Ankalaev[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Aleksandar Rakic[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Armen Petrosyan[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ibo Aslan[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Rafael Cerqueira[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Mateusz Rebecki[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Myktybek Orolbai[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Abus Magomedov[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Brunno Ferreira[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Kennedy Nzechukwu[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Chris Barnett[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Farid Basharat[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Victor Hugo[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Ismail Naurdiev[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Rinat Fakhretdinov[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Carlos Leal[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,896,000
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $29,633,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Champ Dricus Du Plessis warns Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 308: ‘I can’t wait to take your 0’

Dricus Du Plessis is relishing the chance to end Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated streak after UFC 308.

[autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] is relishing the chance to end [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s undefeated streak after UFC 308.

Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) made a frightening statement that he should be next to challenge for the middleweight title held by Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) on Saturday when he destroyed Robert Whittaker by first-round submission in the co-main event matchup at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

After the fight, Chimaev made it clear he wants to challenge for gold in his next fight, whether that means immediately or waiting for a rematch between Du Plessis and Sean Strickland to play out. The UFC has yet to book Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2, though, and UFC CEO Dana White said post-fight that he is going to mull all potential options for what’s next in Tuesday’s matchmaker meeting.

It appears Du Plessis is trying to help make that decision easier, however, because in his first reaction to Chimaev’s win, he said he is eager for the chance to put the first blemish on what is currently a flawless record in MMA competition (via X):

Feel really sorry for Rob he looked super ready but this is the fight game well done on a good performance Khamzat
That being said I can’t wait to take your 0

The confidence on Chimaev’s end going into a potential championship showdown with Du Plessis was evident in the aftermath of UFC 308, and he predicted it would be a rough night for him – and his last moment sitting at the top of the mountain.

“How I did with this guy, Rob, and how he done?” Chimaev said. “Rob took him down, so if Rob took him down, there is salam alaikum (against me).”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Khamzat Chimaev: If Robert Whittaker took Dricus Du Plessis down, it’s ‘salam alaikum’ against me

Khamzat Chimaev has no doubt he would slice through UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis on the ground.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] has no doubt he would slice through UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] on the ground.

Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) quickly submitted Robert Whittaker (27-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) with a face crank in the first round of their middleweight bout Saturday, which co-headlined UFC 308 at Etihad Arena.

Two weeks ago, UFC CEO Dana White said Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 is next. He refused to commit to his initial plans during the post-fight news conference, and Chimaev is ready to slide in for a title shot if the UFC grants him the opportunity.

“It doesn’t matter Sean or Dricus, just going for the gold,” Chimaev told reporters, including MMA Junkie at the UFC 308 post-fight news conference. “So we’ll see what happens next. I’m ready.”

When asked about Du Plessis’ grappling, Chimaev quickly dismissed it.

“How I did with this guy, Rob, and how he done?” Chimaev said. “Rob took him down, so if Rob took him down, there is salam alaikum (against me).”

If not a title shot, Chimaev said he’d be down to fight former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.

“For me, Adesanya would be a good money fight because he has a big name,” Chimaev said. “Sean Strickland, we’ve been in the gym. We have some stuff not done yet, so that would be good history as well.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.