Khamzat Chimaev recently shared his thoughts on his middleweight title victory at UFC 319.
In recent weeks, Chimaev has also expressed interest in a heavier weight class, calling out Alex Pereira after Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight title.
The undefeated star only recently became a UFC champion for the first time, having been one of the most highly-regarded contenders in the promotion.
His decisive win over Dricus du Plessis led Chimaev to playfully mock those who predicted his first career loss in such a significant fight.
Despite his strong confidence leading into the bout, the reigning champion recently offered a glimpse into his expectations for that particular clash.
Khamzat Chimaev Praises Dricus du Plessis, Despite Expecting More Strength From Him
Dricus du Plessis has vowed to return stronger after suffering his first UFC career loss in August.
His bout with Khamzat Chimaev was notably one-sided, with the challenger employing his dominant wrestling to largely neutralize his opponent.
This has fueled speculation about whether any of the middleweight contenders can truly pose a threat to Chimaev, given how superior he appeared at UFC 319.
Despite the nature of his victory, the middleweight champion spoke commendably of ‘DDP’ when reflecting on the fight during a recent podcast interview.
He praised du Plessis`s abilities while also confessing that he had anticipated the South African to be physically stronger when they clashed inside the Octagon.
“To be honest, I thought he`d be stronger than he was,” Chimaev stated on the BADAEV PODCAST. “He`s not a bad fighter. I didn`t let him work much. My wrestling and grappling techniques are on another level, that`s why he couldn`t show what he wanted in the fight, but he`s an extraordinary fighter too.”
Khamzat Chimaev Likely Keeping a Close Eye on This Weekend’s UFC Main Event
It appears that following this weekend, we will discover who will be Khamzat Chimaev`s first challenger for the middleweight title.
Nassourdine Imavov defeated Caio Borralho at UFC Paris last month, emerging as one potential candidate, but there is another.
Reinier de Ridder was reportedly disappointed after his fight with Anthony Hernandez was canceled, as he was instead matched against replacement opponent Brendan Allen.
With many believing that ‘RDR’ presents the most intriguing challenge for Chimaev, he could still emerge as the frontrunner if he secures a win at UFC Vancouver.
