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Khamzat Chimaev is one of the UFC's most reliable candidates for a next-generation star to helm the upcoming era of MMA as it continues its march into the heartland of mainstream sports. While more people watch the sport now than ever, and globally-renowned sports outlets cover the sport, it's still niche.
Most of the attention it garners comes from Conor McGregor. Every time 'The Notorious' headlines a pay-per-view (PPV), it easily outdoes every other event that the UFC schedules in a given year. Due to his undefeated status and brash personality, Khamzat Chimaev is someone the promotion has gotten behind.
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He is a potential PPV star. Thus, it's easy to understand why, in a recent interview with Submission Radio, his coach was receptive to the idea of 'Borz' locking horns with the UFC's first-ever double champion to maximize his exposure. That, however, is not a good idea and this list details five reasons why.
#5. Khamzat Chimaev is far too big
Khamzat Chimaev is possibly the biggest welterweight on the UFC roster. He stands at six feet and two inches in height with a 75-inch wingspan. He is large enough to do double duty by fighting at middleweight as well. Meanwhile, Conor McGregor is a former featherweight.
While the Irishman has recently bulked up, he'd still be massively undersized against 'Borz' due to his stature of five feet and nine inches. Even his reach, which stands at 74 inches, isn't close to Chimaev's in practice. The Chechen phenom is five inches taller than him.
This means McGregor would have to punch five inches higher, which undercuts his reach to 69 inches. Chimaev will get no credit for fighting someone so much smaller than him. Furthermore, the bout would only take place at welterweight, which 'Borz' appears to now have difficulty cutting down to.
#4. Khamzat Chimaev should focus on middleweight
While he is yet to taste defeat, Khamzat Chimaev's recent history in the welterweight division is less than stellar. After earning a split-decision, which many didn't feel he deserved, against Gilbert Burns, 'Borz' was scheduled to face Nate Diaz at UFC 279. It was meant to be the Chechen's coming out party.
Instead, he missed weight by seven and a half pounds, forcing the UFC to scramble and find him a short-notice opponent. Although he defeated Kevin Holland in a catchweight bout, he was later called into Dana White's office. Afterwards, the UFC president expressed his desire to see 'Borz' fight at 185 lbs.
Since then, 'Borz' has spoken about facing Alex Pereira for the middleweight title, while Bo Nickal recently spoke about facing him at some point. Furthermore, Paulo Costa was a rumored foe after a scuffle at the UFC Performance Institute. Robert Whittaker's name has even been thrown into the hat.
With so much potential at middleweight, Chimaev is better suited to pursuing a bout at 185 lbs. A bout with a former featherweight will not prepare him for the promotion's middleweight contenders.
#3. Khamzat Chimaev must still answer questions about himself
Despite his recent win against Kevin Holland, fans are curious about Khamzat Chimaev's improvement as a fighter. He previously faced Gilbert Burns in a grueling war that revealed his flaws as a fighter. The Chechen phenom is prone to questionable decision-making once a fight doesn't go his way.
Furthermore, he is hyper-aggressive and tries to finish every opponent inside the first round by either KO'ing or submitting them. He did so against 'Trailblazer' due to the latter's poor counter-wrestling. But has he improved his decision-making and can he pace himself in a bout?
Rumors about his cardio have been recurring ever since his COVID episode. A bout against Conor McGregor, who doesn't possess the grappling defense and cardio to test 'Borz's' finishing abilities and gas tank, will not help him improve as a fighter. This is especially true given their size disparity.
Furthermore, he has only faced one top-level opponent in Gilbert Burns. So how good is he given that he experienced significant struggles against him? He must prove it against more top-level 170'ers and/or 185'ers.
#2. Conor McGregor is on the decline
The end-goal for Khamzat Chimaev is to capture a divisional title in the UFC. To do so, he must face other contenders as he climbs through the rankings. He must earn a title fight, whether that opportunity comes at welterweight or middleweight. A win over Conor McGregor, who isn't ranked in either division, would be useless.
If 'Borz' and 'The Notorious' lock horns, it will simply delay the Chechen's journey to the top. Additionally, a potential upset loss, however unlikely, would absolutely ruin Chimaev's chances at earning a title fight. There is a greater reward and lesser risk when facing actual contenders.
If Khamzat Chimaev loses to Robert Whittaker, a former middleweight champion who many feel won the split-decision bout between him and Israel Adesanya, fans will simply declare that 'Borz' has more to learn. A loss to Conor McGregor, however, a smaller foe on a losing streak, will cause fans to label him a fraud.
#1. The matchup will keep him inactive
Conor McGregor's return bout has been announced. The Irishman will face Michael Chandler at some point this year on a date that hasn't yet been determined. This has been a point of frustration for 'Iron', but it would also make a potential matchup with 'Borz' even more difficult to schedule.
The former UFC double champion is yet to enter the USADA testing pool. The earliest he will be available to fight is September. This forces Khamzat Chimaev into a corner, especially given that 'The Notorious' already has a scheduled opponent.
This means 'Borz' must either sit out and wait for the matchup or continue winning fights in the hope that his increasing starpower will draw McGregor's interest. Unfortunately, a loss would be damaging for the Chechen's image since so much of it hinges on his undefeated streak.
If he loses a bout while trying to earn a fight with McGregor, he'll lose a tremendous amount of his appeal. Alternatively, if he sits out for too long waiting for the Irishman, he'll become irrelevant.
