Despite Being Inactive for 9 Months, Khamzat Chimaev Ranked Along With Conor McGregor, Israel Adesanya, and Jon Jones by Dana White in Terms of Popularity

Khamzat Chimaev made a mark on the UFC like no other fighter a few years ago, running through his opponents at welterweight in a quick and brutal fashion, with the exception of Gilbert Burns. The 29-year-old has a flawless record and uses his high wrestling pedigree against his opponents.

Combined with his effective stand-up game and outspoken, verbose personality, it is easy to see why ‘Borz’ has become such a fan favorite in such a short period of time. And Dana White revealed just how popular the Chechen is in an interview with TNT Sports.

Dana White points to Khamzat Chimaev as the most popular fighter after Conor McGregor

When asked which fights should new viewers watch to get into the UFC, Dana found it hard to pick just one. The UFC boss pointed to the depth of the roster and the talent and skill level of the fighters as the primary reasons why he couldn’t pick just one. But he did acknowledge that Conor McGregor’s return is the fight most anticipated by fans.

“What Everybody is waiting and excited for is the return of Conor McGregor too when he comes back,” he said. He then pointed out that it was not just the big stars who were generating excitement but many up-and-comers, too.

“Not just the big stars like the Conors, the Jon Joneses, the Adesanyas, you know the up-and-coming guys too.” White told the reporter. He also singled out Khamzat Chimaev as the fighter that fans want to see fight the most after Conor McGregor.

“Obviously, too, the one that I get hammered probably most over right now is Khamzat. If they’re not asking me when Conor is coming back, it’s about when Khamzat is fighting again,” he said.

This, of course, brings up the question of who Chimaev’s next opponent will be, and there are some very interesting possibilities and speculations that have fans excited.

Who will Khamzat Chimaev fight next?

Khamzat was last seen in the Octagon in a first-round victory against Kevin Holland at UFC 279 last year. This was because his scheduled bout with Nate Diaz was canceled because the Chechen weighed in at 7 pounds heavier than the 171-pound limit.

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There have been many speculations regarding who his next opponent will be, but, one name that stands out is former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. The Nigerian has called out Chimaev on many occasions for a fight. Most recently, ‘Nightmare’ issued a challenge to Chimaev- “You want to fight? Cut the weight, and let’s fight” at UFC 290.

But Usman and Chimaev have yet to agree on the weight class, without which the fight is impossible. The undefeated fighter fired back at Usman on his Instagram account, urging the Nigerian to “Come up” to middleweight, while Usman wants the fight to be at welterweight.

Paulo Costa, the number seven ranked middleweight, could also be next. The winner of which could be in line for a title shot, but clearly the opponent fans would like Chimaev to fight is Usman. Who do you think Chimaev’s next opponent should be? Tell us in the comments section below.

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