There are a lot of people who are excited about new UFC prospect Khamzat Chimaev. However it seems that Daniel Cormier may be the most hyped about this undefeated fighter.
Although Cormier just retired from MMA, he is still a very important part of the sport. As a UFC commentator and co-host of a weekly MMA podcast, he still has his finger on the pulse of the UFC, doing his best to keep an eye on up and coming fighters as they rise through the ranks. Not to mention the fact that he is beloved by many in the sport, so his opinions are generally respected and appreciated.
Daniel Cormier Is Conductor On The Khamzat Chimaev Hype Train
Although he was slow to agree that recent UFC addition Khamzat Chimaev was something special, Daniel Cormier has since changed his mind. He was speaking on the DC and Helwani show when the subject of Chimaev’s 17-second knockout over the weekend came up. DC could not contain his excitement, as he mimicked driving the Khamzat Chimaev Hype Train, before gushing over how impressive the Dagestani fighter has looked.
“Boy, do I know who he is now!” Cormier said. “Choo choo! I’m the conductor of this train baby, and I’m not letting certain people on.
“I disagreed (about giving him a top 5 opponent). I was like ‘let’s not rush him, because then he’s just going to be stuck there.’ Guess what? He’s ready baby. I was wrong!”
From there, Daniel Cormier took things a step further. Instead of advocating for a top five opponent for Khamzat Chimaev, he says that the 9-0 fighter should get a title shot.
“Get him a title shot,” Cormier said. “Give Chimaev a title shot. Give him a title shot. He’s ready! When he was beating these dudes up with all the takedowns, everybody kept going ‘No Daniel, his kickboxing is what he’s known for. He’s the best at standup.’ But I was like ‘No he isn’t, there’s no way. With the way he can beat these guys on the ground there’s no way.’ Then one right hand (to finish Gerald Meerschaert).”
Despite how excited Daniel Cormier is about Khamzat Chimaev, there is no reason for him to get a title shot. He has looked impressive so far, but he has not faced anyone ranked yet. There are still a lot of unknowns about his game, and perhaps we will see him tested against someone in the top ten before he is in the title picture.
