‘A top-5 guy would definitely be interesting’ – Khamzat Chimaev’s trainer, Alan Nascimento, on MW move
The UFC would possibly no longer be sure that exactly what`s next for Khamzat Chimaev, then again the fighter`s jiu-jitsu instruct Alan `Finfou` Nascimento, has concepts.
The selling booked Chimaev to face Nate Diaz in a welterweight contest withinside the most important instance of UFC 279. Unfortunately, Chimaev did now not come all over close to the only hundred seventy-pound restriction for that scrap. After he weighed in at 178.5 kilos, the UFC shuffled the top 3 bouts on the card and slid Chimaev proper right into a 180-pound catch-weight contest opposite Kevin Holland. Chimaev ran through his opponent in that matchup, submitting Holland in 2:13.
After the pay-consistent with-view battle card, UFC president Dana White offered his thoughts on the future of Chimaev.
“It`s a hassle. It`s a hassle that he overlooked weight,” White said of the rising megastar. “I don`t know, we`ve were given to examine it and determine it out and what makes experience is for him to combat at [185]. So, we`ll see.”
As for some way Nascimento sees issues? The fact that Chimaev overpassed weight and forced the reshuffling of the pay-consistent with-view instance the day previous than the card isn`t neccessarily a barrier to his fighter competing for the UFC welterweight crown the next time he gadgets foot withinside the octagon.
“The one hundred seventy department is a chunk caught due to the fact there can be a rematch,” Nascimento advised MMA Fighting, in terms of the as however unbooked, then again predicted rematch amongst champion Leon Edwards and ex-champ Kamaru Usman. “Chimaev`s scenario at one hundred seventy is, he both waits for the combat or [serves as] a backup fighter in case a person receives injured. But, in case he actions up, a combat with a pinnacle-five man might truly be interesting.” Khamzat Chimaev
‘A top-5 guy would definitely be interesting’ – Khamzat Chimaev’s trainer, Alan Nascimento, on MW move
“We notion approximately going up, however we’ve created a legacy at one hundred seventy already, “Nascimento added. “If we cross as much as 185, the entirety might had been for nothing, besides for the experience. But the point of interest is on turning into champion. After he mentioned [going up], we sat down with the entire crew and determined to watch for the [welterweight division] to settle so at the least we’ve a name combat. If he wins, perfect, we cross for the following one. If he loses, we`d cross up.”
UFC president Dana White this present day softened his stance on Chimaev fighting at welterweight, announcing, “I`m withinside the, `What does he need to do?` Where does he need to be, and what does he need to do? Does he need to make one hundred seventy and opt for the name at one hundred seventy, or does he need to visit 185 and opt for the name there?”
However, fans and media should suspect that the UFC would possibly be very reluctant to ee-e e-book Chimaev in some other prime-profile welterweight battle—specifically one wherein he would possibly serve as the main instance and wish to make championship weight of 100 seventy—without him having first proved he can hit the welterweight mark on the scale.
