5 opponents for Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 273 win

#2. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman

Kamaru UsmanUFC 268: Usman v Covington 2

After his win at UFC 273, it became evident that Khamzat Chimaev was closing in on a welterweight title shot. Like in a hypothetical bout with Adesanya, ‘Borz’ has made it clear that he wouldn’t have any difficulty against Kamaru Usman.

Prior to Chimaev's bout with Burns, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was somewhat complimentary of him. He credited him for defeating the opponents out in front of him. But, he mentioned that Chimaev would have to defeat a few top-ranked welterweights in order to earn a title shot.

So far, ‘Borz’ has done just that. He defeated Burns by unanimous decision and moved up to No. 3 in the rankings as a result. If he defeats another top-ranked welterweight in impressive fashion, he could earn a title shot at the end of the year.

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#1. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Colby Covington

UFC 272: Covington v Masvidal

Khamzat Chimaev’s win over Burns should set the stage for a bout with former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington. While speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Dana White mentioned that it was being targeted for the upcoming UFC on ABC card.

Based on ‘The Wolf’s popularity and ‘Chaos’ coming off his win over Jorge Masvidal, the bout could do well on ABC. Covington’s ability to sell fights with his pre-fight antics and interviews could generate a sizable TV rating.

It’s no secret that Covington has embraced the pro wrestling-style heel persona, which has allowed him to become a bigger commodity. It may have led to fans despising the way he conducts himself. But, that hasn’t stopped them from tuning in to hopefully see him lose.

‘Borz’ vs. ‘Chaos’ would be an excellent matchup based on their cardio and skillset. It could be a high-stakes bout as the winner could earn a title shot against the winner of Usman vs. Leon Edwards.