Khamzat Chimaev can fight as often as he wants inside of the UFC octagon. After all, UFC President Dana White has given him the green light to so do. But, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Chimaev will be able to choose whatever opponent he desires. In the eyes of Khamzat, he’s ready to face big names like Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, and Jorge Masvidal. But, Dana’s mind isn’t completely sold on giving Khamzat Chimaev a top 15 ranked opponent yet.
Khamzat’s Short Reign
Obtaining the record for the quickest turnaround in UFC history, Chimaev scored two finishes in just 10 days. To make things sweeter, both fights were on Fight Island. He destroyed his adversaries, finishing both of them. Furthermore, he took zero damage. The results were Khabib-esque. To further the comparison, Khamzat shared his story of trying to fight Conor McGregor in the most gangster way possible.
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Dana White on Giving Chimaev a Top Opponent
But, that doesn’t mean he will be receiving the Khabib treatment. In a recent interview with TSN, White spoke about Chimaev and his potential matching status.
“I don’t know,” said Dana in regards to Chimaev fighting again soon. “I don’t know if that’s the case but we’re working on that right now. This guy wants to fight every weekend. He wants to fight every weekend. I love guys like that. So I gotta figure that side out first.”
“This is the fight business. If you think you belong in the top-15 then a guy who isn’t ranked should not be a concern of yours,” continued White.
“Plus, the guy’s picked up so much traction and has become so famous so fast that it’s a good fight to take. Hopefully, you’re the guy who is going to be the first to stop him. Those are the guys I want to talk to. I want to talk to the guys that want to be the first to stop Khamzat (Chimaev). His Instagram has grown 15,000 percent.”
Racing to the Top
In the opinion of most fans, Chimaev’s fast track to the top is essentially warranted. Especially with how he’s been able to easily dominate his past competition. But, if he isn’t allowed to fight a top contender yet, who should be the best fight for him?
