Khamzat Chimaev, surging UFC welterweight, is already looking past Gilbert Burns to the very top of his weight division. Chimaev told the pre-UFC 273 press conference that he feels like he is already the 170-pound champ, and that reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman fears his inevitable title challenge.
“I’m already the champ. That guy doesn’t want to fight me. He goes out to do the surgery and then he wants to go do the boxing somewhere. He can fix his arm and then go do the boxing, I don’t know. The other guy [Leon Edwards], he didn’t fight somebody in the top 10.
Khamzat Says Usman Fears Him: “I’m Already the Champ”
They always find some excuse. I am already the champ. People know that.” Khamzat continued, reminding the assembled of his notorious game plan: smash everyone.
“They have to give me that title. I want to smash everyone. They have to give me that title if I smash everyone. Who is going to be next? I don’t care.
If they do that fight [between Usman and Edwards]— [does] somebody care about that fight? I don’t think so. Dana White wants to make that fight. Leon Edwards, nobody knows that guy and Usman, he’s the same.
Nobody wants to see that guy. Everybody wants to see me there and smash them both. If they give me both guys the same night, I’m going to smash them both.”
If Khamzat Chimaev can get through Gilbert Burns – no small task, considering Burns’ incredible pedigree – he’ll likely get the next shot at Kamaru Usman. If he claims the champ’s title, a move up to middleweight to take on Israel Adesanya is on the cards.
“People want to see [Israel Adesanya] and me. Nobody knows [Kamaru Usman]. He’s old. Izzy is more fresh and young like me and I think he wants me as well because he already fought everyone at [middleweight]. He’s like me. He wants to fight everyone. I want to do the same.”
Khamzat isn’t finished with the welterweights, though. Colby Covington earned his ire, too. “I will be happy if they do that [fight with Colby Covington] but I don’t think so.
That guy [doesn’t] want to fight me. He’s going to go to the cops. He’s going to go to the cops, call the cops. Dana White will be in jail if they make that fight.
He talks too much in the media and then when he sees the face-to-face, he goes to the cops. He’s not that guy. To me, if I’m honest, the UFC has to kick him out. He’s a b****.”
Will Khamzat’s prediction come true? Let us know in the comments.
