So muc͏h ͏is at s͏ta͏k͏e for ͏͏Kha͏mzat͏ Chimaev as he is closer͏͏ than ever͏ to͏ a mi͏ddle͏weight͏ UFC gold. A ͏victory against͏ a well-rounded fighter like Ro͏be͏rt ͏͏Wh͏ittaker ͏would mean a di͏rect shot at the ͏m͏id͏dl͏eweight t͏itl͏e. ͏’Borz’ is one of͏ t͏he most po͏pul͏ar ͏fig͏hters͏ vying for the champ͏ionship, ͏but he͏a͏lt͏h͏ i͏ssu͏es hav͏e hindered his ability to reach ͏his͏ ful͏͏l p͏ot͏en͏tia͏͏l. As he ap͏͏pr͏oac͏h͏e͏s what c͏ou͏l͏d be the opportunity ͏͏of ͏his li͏fe, is he feel͏ing͏ ͏t͏he p͏r͏essure͏ to face a fighter who has nearly fought everyone in the division while defeating fighters like Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns?͏

At the weigh-ins, when asked about his fight with Whittaker, Chimaev emphasized that he had nothing to say before the match. When asked the same question at the press conference, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (UFC 17-5) emphasized that he is prepared for a war against the undefeated Chimaev (13-0, UFC 7-0). And why not? Look at ‘Reaper’s most recent fights.

Rob has appeared in two fights since his loss to Dricus du Plessis in the UFC 290 and they have been nothing but a hell ride for his opponents. After the loss, he had something to prove and Paulo Costa fell on the line of it.

In a round 3 unanimous decision victory against Costa in the UFC 298, Whittaker’s output and accuracy kept tagging Costa round after round. The ‘Reaper’ did a lot of damage with a series of calf kicks that left golf-ball-sized swelling in Costa’s shin. His next fight against Ikram Aliskerov, who replaced Khamzat after the latter pulled out against Rob in June, was even more impressive. Rob scored a first-round knockout victory in that. UFC CEO Dana White definitely did not miss all this.

So White firmly believes that despite Khamzat Chimaev’s immense aura, this fight might be one of the toughest battles for ‘Borz’ within the realm of the UFC. Talking to the media, the UFC CEO emphasized that the winner of the match will be in a very comfortable position at the middleweight table, “Saturday night, this is obviously the biggest fight of Khamzat’s career. There’s no doubt about it; this is a massive fight for Robert Whittaker.” 

He further added, “You know, this is a really, really tough fight for both of these guys. So, whoever comes out of this fight as the winner is in a very, very good position—you couldn’t be in a better position being the guy who wins this fight.” The UFC CEO went further, stating that Chimaev could be experiencing the defining moment of his career.

“There’s no doubt this is his toughest fight, and it’s up a weight class. So, again, he’s going against a guy who is a former world champion who has fought all the best in the world, you know, at a bigger weight. So this is obviously the toughest fight of his career,” said Dana White. Interestingly, in the past Khamzat had said otherwise.

Last month, Khamzat had tacitly said that Whittaker’s fight was an easy one. In an interview by Riadhlevrai shared by Championship Rounds on X, Khamzat was rating several UFC opponents that he could face in the future. When asked to rate fighters from 1 to 10, with 1 being easy and 10 being difficult, he rated Whittaker between 3 to 4! But, there is every reason for the UFC head honcho to rule it a tough fight.

Chimaev’s wrestling prowess lets him dominate the opponents on the ground. He has a takedown accuracy of 65%, indicating his grappling efficiency. But Rob comes with a track record of fighting and defeating elite grapplers like Yoel Romero and Ronaldo Souza. He lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.82 per minute.

Robert Whittaker boasts a karate-based striking style that is signified by quick footwork and precision strikes. This approach can cause significant challenges to Khamzat, who relies significantly on wrestling to control his opponents. If that is not enough, Rob’s takedown defense is a remarkable 84%, which means it is not easy for opponents to take him down and keep him there. The biggest problem that Khamzat might face is with his energy, especially as the fight progresses.

Rob is well-versed in 5-round fights and known for maintaining his composure throughout the fight. But this will be Khamzat’s first scheduled 25-minute bout. According to analysts like Michael Bisping, Khamzat could be in trouble if he cannot secure an early finish. Rob is also known to be training extensively on the ground, to improve his defensive techniques to prevent Khamzat’s takedowns. Rob has an impeccable ability to punish his opponents for failed takedown attempts. This might force Khamzat into less comfortable striking exchanges. But Khamzat is also not sitting idle in terms of training.

Borz has included Salim Noutsalkhanov, who trained the likes of Olympic wrestling champion Buvaisar Saitiev, in his training team. Understandably, the goal is to improve his grappling efficiency even more. But according to Khamzat, there is another important aspect of this coaching shuffle.

“The point is they now let me rest and recover properly. I used to go to the gym and train till I was done. But then I ended up in hospital. Like the last time when I was in hospital, three times in a row within three weeks. My immune system went down, I got sick. Now I use a better approach. I work with good coaches. Salim [Noutsalkhanov] raised a lot of world champions. He also trained Buvaisar Saitiev for the Beijing Olympics. With people like that, I’m going to take a big step forward,” Khamzat had said last month. Notably, Rob also seems to be interested in fighting a fully healthy and fresh Khamzat.

“I don’t expect him to get tired or anything else. I expect him to come out aggressive, and to be super scary in the wrestling, and be very strong. I just think I’ve been in those waters before. I know how to tread. I’m good in there. I am the best middleweight in the world. Beating him will prove that, and I look forward to it,” Rob had boasted in MMArcade Podcast via MMA Junkie. In fact, the super fight has also elicited a response from the champion of the division, who has made a rather unexpected confession.

Dricus Du Plessis is torn between Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev

Both Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker are hungry for the middleweight title and this might be their chance to get to the ‘185’ lbs gold. Well, Dricus Du Plessis wants both Whittaker and Chimaev to clinch the victory. Why, you ask? The reason is a bit confusing. Du Plessis, while a fan of Robert Whittaker, doesn’t want him to lose! But on the other hand, ‘Stillknocks’ wants to be the first man to defeat Chimaev.

While having a conversation at the Fight Chats, hosted by a South African Comedian, Rikus De Beer, Dricus Du Plessis confessed that he wants both of them to clinch the victory, “I want Rob to win, because I like him so much and I’m a fan. I have faced Robert Whittaker before, and I have so much admiration for how he just came back… I think he deserves the next shot. If he beats Khamzat, he for sure [deserves the title shot],” said Dricus Du Plessis.

He further added, “What I would love is to fight Khamzat and be the first guy to beat him. The one is with my heart, and the other is me as an athlete and thinking about my career. I would love to be the first guy to beat Khamzat, and I know I can beat Khamzat… I’m gonna go Robert Whittaker [to win].” 

Dricus Du Plessis will be facing Sean Strickland first before defending his title against the winner of UFC Saudi Arabia. The South African might be excited to face both the fighters but he shouldn’t rush it at all considering that both the fighters are in their best form. Regardless, what’s your take on the hubbub? State your thoughts in the comments below.