Khamzat Chimaev is the REAL DEAL
INSANE.
#UFCVegas11 pic.twitter.com/kqbhHJYJS3— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA)
September 20, 2020
Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Khamzat
Chimaev could fight again before the end of 2020, but it
appears that Demian Maia
is no longer the targeted opponent.
According to a recent report from
Combate, Maia is out of negotiations for a welterweight clash
with the surging prospect. Instead, the UFC is hoping to book
former 170-pound title challenger Stephen
Thompson against Chimaev for the headliner of a Fight Night
card on Dec. 19. If the matchup with “Wonderboy” doesn’t come to
fruition, the Las Vegas-based promotion is targeted Leon
Edwards as an alternative option for Chimaev, per the
report.
UFC president Dana White briefly addressed Chimaev’s status during
the UFC 253 post-fight press conference on Saturday night. In doing
so, he confirmed that a bout with Thompson is on the table while
completely dismissing the Edwards rumors.
“The Leon Edwards [rumor] is not true, but we’ve offered it to
‘Wonderboy,’” White said. ‘Wonderboy’ wants to fight Leon Edwards,
so we’ll see how this plays out. That’s completely not true. Leon
Edwards is not lined up to fight Khamzat. We were looking at
‘Wonderboy,’ and ‘Wonderboy’ wants Leon.” We’re nowhere on that
thing.
In a separate report, ESPN
also confirmed that the UFC has moved away from Maia as a
prospective opponent for Chimaev.
Anchored at Allstars Training Center in Sweden, the 26-year-old
Chimaev has emerged as one of the UFC’s fastest rising stars in
2020. The Brave Combat Federation veteran began his promotional
tenure with dominant stoppages of John
Phillips and Rhys McKee
in less than two weeks’ time in July before knocking out Gerald
Meerschaert in 17 seconds in his most recent outing at UFC
Fight Night 178 on Sept. 19.
