The Co-Main Event at UFC 308 surprised us all. If you say otherwise you are most probably lying. The UFC Journeyman and former UFC Middleweight Champion, Robert Whittaker, was up against Khamzat ‘Borz’ Chimaev, easily one of the, if not the outright most intimidating fighters in the 185lbs division. While many probably predicted the bout going in favour of ‘Borz’, nobody could have predicted what went down on Saturday night.
Certainly not Khamzat Chimaev breaking the lower jaw of Whittaker, who is one of the greatest 185lbs’ers in UFC history. But in Round 1 itself, that’s exactly what Chimaev did. It was supposed to be a test of how difficult coming back from a long layoff would be for the Russian, but apparently, 3 minutes 34 seconds was all. In his last bout, many people questioned his gas tank as against Kamaru Usman in October 2023, he looked aghast after going the full 3 rounds. But for Khamzat Chimaev, Robert Whittaker felt lightweight.
So now with a MMA record of 14-0-0, Khamzat Chimaev will be looking at the top of the crop of UFC’s Middleweight division. So let’s take a look at 3 potential opponents for Khamzat.
Who Will Khamzat Chimaev Fight Next?
1. Dricus Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev For The Middleweight Championship
Irrespective of when it happens, this fight will surely happen someday in the future and there’s no escape for Dricus, the current Middleweight Champion of the UFC. The South African will have to get the better of the still undefeated Khamzat Chimaev if he wants to be called as the Undisputed champ, and after the UFC 308 performance that the Russian fighter showed, Dricus knows it. On top of this, Khamzat provides a much tougher challenge to Du Plessis than Sean Strickland and that is a fact.
2. Sean Strickland vs Khamzat Chimaev For The No.1 Contender
Say Dricus Du Plessis is willing to wait a little longer, then Strickland vs Chimaev could prove to be the perfect stage to decide who goes up against the South African champ next. Chances are that Khamzat Chimaev runs through Sean Strickland in this one and remains mostly unharmed and then we see a show-off against Du Plessis sooner.
3. Israel Adesanya vs Khamzat Chimaev, a Legacy Fight
Two contrasting fighting styles battling it out against each other for their legacy, wow. Seems like a script that could be well pulled off by the UFC. This fight against Israel Adesanya would surely bring in huge numbers and might be the last fight Khamzat Chimaev have to go through before getting his title shot if Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland are booked.
In any case, it’s safe to assume that depending on the results of his next 1 or 2 fights, Khamzat Chimaev may very well be the owner of the UFC Middleweight Championship very soon. Do you think Khamzat deserves a title shot next? Let us know in the comments below.
