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Khamzat Chimaev looks ripped, solid and ready to take on the biggest challenge of his MMA career in a fight week picture. 'Borz' is set to take on former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at the UFC 294 PPV event due to take place on October 21, 2023 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Fighting in the Middle East comes with its own set of challenges due to the harsh weather and the time difference. Fighters like Dustin Poirier and Khabib Nurmagomedov have admitted to it in the past. Chimaev shifted his base to Dubai a few months ago and seems to have adjusted well to local conditions. Watch the picture posted on his 'X' account below:
Fans flocked to the post and sounded off their reactions in the comments section of the video. While some admired the level of fitness 'Borz' has achieved for the fight, others pointed at his past struggles to make weight. Here are some comments that caught our attention:
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Alexander Volkanovski thinks Khamzat Chimaev's aggressive fighting style may be too much for Kamaru Usman
Khamzat Chimaev was originally scheduled to fight Paulo Costa in a potential middleweight title eliminator fight at UFC 294. However, a surgery and severe staph infection forced Costa to pull out 11 days before the fight. Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman stepped up to fight the Chechen-Swedish fighter and the fight was made official.
Looking into the scheme of things, Usman is at a severe disadvantage in terms of preparation time, physical readiness and jet lag. According to UFC featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, if Khamzat Chimaev is cautious and spends his energy smartly in the fight, it could be a long night for the former welterweight champion. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Volkanovski said:
"Everything is going to be a 100 per cent; it's a three-rounder... I think the pace that Chimaev is going to set is going to be hard to deal with for someone on short notice... If his gas tank doesn't hold up... with the pressure Chimaev is going to do, I think it's going to be a hard night for Usman."
Khamzat Chimaev is much yonger and has all the momentum on his side with an undefeated resume. Meanwhile, Kamaru Usman is coming off back-to-back losses to his successor Leon Edwards. Although fellow fighters feel that short-notice fight favors 'Borz', 'Nigerian Nightmare' has far more experience of competing at the highest level and can pull off an upset.
