Dana White Turned Against the Idea of Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev Months Before Saving the UFC 294 Card With Ex-UFC Champ- “I’m Not Interested in It”

Paulo Costa‘s injury put the co-main event of UFC 294 in jeopardy. Nevertheless, Dana White found the replacement as Kamaru Usman stepped in to cover for ‘Borrachinha’ to take on Khamzat Chimaev. However, the UFC CEO initially did not want to pit ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ against the undefeated Emirati fighter.

Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev had been going back and forth for a long time on social media. Hence, the former welterweight champion found his opportunity to fight ‘Borz’. But Dana White did not like that idea at first. Let us take a look at the reason behind it.

Dana White did not want a catchweight bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman

The UFC CEO, in an interview on ‘The Jim Rome Show’ a few months ago, got hit with the question of a fight between Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev. This question popped up due to their ongoing verbal exchanges on social media at that time. However, Dana White did not like that idea, since ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ proposed a catchweight matchup. He said, “What I hate about that fight… Usman’s calling him out at catchweight. I don’t do catchweights. I don’t like catchweights.”

Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to fight Nate Diaz at UFC 279. But he missed the weight by a large margin, which prompted Kevin Holland to step in for a catchweight bout. Regardless, there was no future in a catchweight bout and that’s why Dana White believes that these kinds of fights are not worth it. “Catchweights mean nothing. They mean absolutely nothing,” said the UFC CEO. He further went on to mention one criterion where he can make that fight happen.

UFC CEO was only interested in setting up a middleweight bout

Dana White wanted to set up a meaningful fight. As such, if Kamaru Usman had decided at that time to move up in weight from welterweight to middleweight, only then the 54-year-old promoter would have been open to setting up that fight. White said, “If he wants to move to 185 and fight him [Chimaev], we can talk about it.”

Given how Khamzat Chimaev ruined the UFC’s plans for UFC 279, Dana White did not want to take any chance with catchweight fights. He stood firm in his decision to have no interest on that front. “But trying to fight him at a catchweight, I’m not interested in it,” said the UFC CEO.

Read More: Days Before Kamaru Usman Fight at UFC 294, Khamzat Chimaev Links Up With Knockout Artist Even Joe Rogan Is Terrified Of

Regardless of Dana White’s initial reluctance, he got what he wanted. Due to Khamzat Chimaev missing the welterweight limit, he was adamant that the Emirati fighter move to middleweight. Now, we wait to see how Kamaru Usman fares in his 185-pound debut since he’s come off losses in his last two fights.

What do you think? Who will win the UFC 294 co-main event? Drop your comments below.

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