UFC middleweight Jared Cannonier doesn’t want to see Khamzat Chimaev leapfrog the division to a title shot. While Chimaev has been handily working his way through the welterweight elite, the Chechen fighter’s struggles with cutting weight at 170 pounds have led some to wonder whether he ought to move up to the middleweight division. Chimaev recently called for a shot at reigning champion Alex Pereira, but Jared Cannonier wants to see “Borz” tested against the elite of the division in order to earn the shot.
“Personally, if he wants to get up there, he needs to go through at least somebody in the top 10. Being one of the ones at the top, he would have to face me or Robert (Whittaker) or Israel (Adesanya). If you’re gonna give him somebody, give him somebody in the top three like they did at welterweight.
Cannonier Wants Khamzat To Earn Middleweight Title Shot
I don’t care what they do with him. I’m not really focused on him. I’m focused on myself. So I’m sitting right where I am and whoever comes at me, I’m gonna give it to them the same way. I’ll give it to anybody. I’m just here to fight. That would be a fun fight.”
Cannonier also pointed out that he believes everyone should earn their way to the top. That included a backhanded reference to the current champion, Alex Pereira, who leapfrogged most of the division to get a run at Israel Adesanya.
“I feel you should definitely fight your way to the top. I also understand the business side of things to a certain extent, and it wouldn’t look good. It wouldn’t feel good, that’s for damn sure.
“I can’t sit here and say this is what he should do to get to the title. Alex Pereira had what? Two, three fights? Then he won his title. I’m not here to say who should do what to get a title. UFC has its structure that it goes by, and we’ve seen how it plays out in many different situations.”
Khamzat has already made much of his UFC run at middleweight, with his biggest victory being a decision win over elite contender Gilbert Burns. Whether he can repeat the feat at a weight class fifteen pounds heavier, against elite grapplers like Robert Whittaker, is another story entirely.
Do you think Jared Cannonier is right? Should Khamzat face Cannonier or Whittaker before he gets Alex Pereira? Let us know in the comments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24B6AEow9oY
