Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out all the fighter walkout songs from Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 13 event at “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi.
While it takes intense training, world-class skills and maybe even a bit of luck to register a UFC win, picking the right song to accompany you to the cage is a key talent, as well.
Inside, see what the fighters from UFC on ESPN 13 went with as their backing tracks in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Khamzat Chimaev spoke to the media following his win at UFC on ESPN 13 in Abu Dhabi.
Khamzat Chimaev spoke to the media following his win at UFC on ESPN 13 in Abu Dhabi.
Khamzat Chimaev showed why he’s regarded as one to watch with a sensational octagon debut at UFC on ESPN 13.
[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] showed why he’s regarded as one to watch with a sensational octagon debut Wednesday at UFC on ESPN 13.
Chimaev (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) stepped in on short notice, moved up a weight class from welterweight to middleweight and took on an opponent with significantly more MMA experience in John Phillips (22-10 MMA, 1-4 UFC). None of those factors deterred him inside the cage.
The 26-year-old from Dagestan landed solid strikes on the feet, then proceeded to dominate on the mat. Phillips somehow escaped the first round, but it only led to more punishment in the second as Chimaev picked up where he left off and locked up a D’Arce choke for the victory.
Check out his handiwork below (via Twitter):
Just getting started 🤯
🇸🇪 @KChimaev gave us a debut to remember!
Watch the main card on @ESPN / E+. #UFCFightIsland1 pic.twitter.com/AUZvVbHZPn
— UFC (@ufc) July 16, 2020
After the finish, a thrilled Chimaev conducted a post-fight interview with Jon Anik and let his intentions be known. He said he’s coming for the UFC belt, and will “smash” anyone in his way.
“I’m going to be champion of this division (welterweight),” Chimaev. “I will smash them.”
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
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The UFC plans on bringing in a highly touted welterweight prospect as a short-notice replacement.
It didn’t take long for the UFC to find [autotag]John Phillips[/autotag] a replacement opponent.
With Dusko Todorovic out, the UFC is now targeting [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] to fight Phillips (22-9 MMA, 1-3 UFC) on July 15. UFC on ESPN 13 takes place on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi as part of the promotion’s stretch of four “Fight Island” events in 15 days.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the targeted booking to MMA Junkie on Wednesday, but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Russian MMA reporter Igor Lazorin was the first to report the news.
Chimaev (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is one of Europe’s top welterweight prospects. Moving up to middleweight for his promotional debut, Chimaev will look to keep his six-fight finishing streak alive. Chimaev was supposed to challenge for the Brave CF title in April in Stockholm, Sweden, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Phillips, a veteran of the European regional scene, started his UFC run with a disappointing three-fight losing streak. However, he earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus after picking up his first UFC win, when he knocked out Alen Amedovski in just 14 seconds in September.
With the change, the latest UFC on ESPN 13 lineup includes:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
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