Credit:Getty/UFC
Credit: Getty/UFC
Everyone and their brother is excited for the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight
matchup between Khamzat
Chimaev and Gilbert
Burns.
Chimaev will be taking on vaunted grappler Gilbert
Burns on the main card of
UFC 273 in Florida on April 9. Chimaev is considered to be a
huge betting favorite in this contest, and a welterweight title
opportunity may be on the line. “Finfou” Alan do Nascimento, the
Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach of Chimaev and a black belt from the
notorious Checkmat academy, spoke with Sherdog this week about the
upcoming fight of his student.
“As I told you a few months ago, the only problem a coach has with
Khamzat is convincing him to train less,” Nascimento reiterated.
“If you don’t control him, he trains all day long.”
Chimaev is not the only fighter involved in this serious training,
as he has found a new comrade-in-arms in England’s Darren Till.
Together, the two have worked a great deal to improve their
skills.
“Definitely, it was a great partnership [between Chimaev and
Till],” “Finfou” stated. “At the same time they look like children
in the daily routine, they are very professional by the training
time and help each other a lot. I truly hope McGregor accepts the
invitation to come to train with us.”
Nascimento spoke with Sherdog shortly after Chimaev’s impressive
win over Jingliang
Li, where he celebrated his student’s victory and pointed to
possible matchups. Of note, “Finfou” pointed to Burns as the most
difficult matchup for Chimaev in the division, other than champion
Kamaru
Usman. Finfou revealed that this was a tactic to get a fight
scheduled.
“After that interview, many people came to complain with me, but
today I can recognize that was a tactic to get my fighter facing
the best ranked opponent,” Nascimento admitted. “But of course, the
numbers prove that Burns is really one of the most dangerous guys
in the division.”
According to the BJJ master, even though Chimaev only holds a blue
belt in the discipline, the Swede is ready for anything that Burns
will throw at him.
“This is MMA,” the coach noted. “I have many high level jiu-jitsu
guys in Sweden who came to help me with sparring. I have no doubt
Chimaev is prepared wherever the fight goes.”
While unquestionably confident for his fighter, Nascimento was
reluctant to point to how the fight will end. With “Durinho” an
admittedly dangerous foe, Nascimento could only say one thing with
certainty.
“Mindset will be decisive in that combat. The one who is better
prepared to deal with frustration will win. The only certainty I
have is that fans will see one of the best fights of UFC history,”
“Finfou” concluded.