Khamzat Chimaev had a controversial fight week when he last entered the octagon at UFC 279 in September. After being involved in several altercations, including one that led to the cancelation of the press conference, the No.3-ranked welterweight missed weight, leading to a reshuffling of the card.
Chimaev’s coach, Andreas Michael, recently revealed how he would ensure his fighter never misses weight if he continues to compete at welterweight.
Speaking on Chimaev’s self-titled YouTube channel, Michael shared that he would rather see the No.3-ranked welterweight fight for the middleweight title next before revealing his plan to ensure his fighter makes weight, stating:
“Middleweight, for the belt. I would like that. That’s an amazing fight, but we can fight at 77 [kilograms]. There is no problem. There is no problem at all. It’s just good preparation. Good warning for if we’re going to go drop a lot down in weight then we need time and it’s done. Not these five weeks or four weeks preparation thing because it’s not doable at that time. Right now, he’s at 89 kilos so he can make weight tomorrow. It’s no problem at 84 kilos even if everyone thinks that he’s 140 kilos.”
Chimaev had teased a potential move to middleweight prior to his weight miss. However, following the debacle, he has angled for a title shot against middleweight champion Alex Pereiera. While he is unlikely to receive a title opportunity at middleweight, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him eventually make a permanent move to the division, particularly if he continues to struggle to make weight at welterweight.
Watch Khamzat Chimaev’s coach discuss how he will ensure his fighter makes weight below (starting at the 1:38 mark):
Khamzat Chimaev accuses Alex Pereira of avoiding him
Despite being unranked in the division, Khamzat Chimaev has been angling for a middleweight title opportunity against Alex Pereira. The No.3-ranked welterweight recently accused the middleweight champion of avoiding a potential matchup.
Speaking on his self-titled YouTube channel, Chimaev stated:
“Alex Pereira, he has 6-1 record. He lost. I never lost in my life and he lost against a s**t guy. The guy is not in the UFC, as well. UFC don’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 guy runs away from me, just give me somebody. I’m ready.”
Chimaev is unlikely to get a middleweight title opportunity, as Pereira’s first title defense will likely come against former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. It is unclear who the No.3-ranked welterweight will face next. However, he recently shared that he has had four opponents turn down the opportunity to face him.
Watch Khamzat Chimaev’s comments on Alex Pereira below (starting at the 3:30 mark):
