UFC 308 turned out to be one of the company’s most action-packed pay-per-view events of the year, with the main and co-main events both having decisive conclusions. The penultimate match-up saw Khamzat Chimaev derailing Robert Whittaker in a fight that could easily be deemed a moment equivalent to a ‘chef’s kiss.’

Robert Whittaker (27-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) was certainly eager to hand Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) his first-ever defeat and reclaim the 185 lbs title by avenging his earlier loss to Dricus du Plessis. Unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition, as Chimaev remained focused on defeating all challengers. For ‘Borz,’ the fight was a chance to fulfill his goal of earning a title bout, while Whittaker fell short of his endeavors.

Chimaev did not waste any time or chance and immediately fell into action as he grappled ‘The Reaper’ and even dislocated his jaw! As a result, the undefeated juggernaut secured a brutal first-round submission win as the Aussie tapped out almost immediately. However, Dricus Du Plessis seems unfazed by the Dagestani’s power.

The South African was quick to comment on the smashing win that Chimaev registered in Abu Dhabi. However, he challenged ‘Borz’ to end his undefeated run and wrote on X, “Feel really sorry for Rob he looked super ready but this is the fight game well done on a good performance Khamzat. That being said I can’t wait to take your 0.” Well, that is in the lap of the future, but for now, there is every reason for Dricus to be sorry for Rob. Look how the Australian suffered at the hands of Chimaev.

Chimaev started the fight fast with an early takedown. From that very moment, Whittaker was on defense. Alongside, the former champ did his best to prevent his foe from locking up a submission. But he could not shake his larger opponent from his back. Chimaev kept the pressure, which helped him to lock on the face crank at 3:34 of the first round, bringing a desperation tap from Whittaker. Chimaev spoke about how the fight ended at the post-fight press conference,

“Before I come in here they showed it to me, but I felt something was wrong with his chin when I pushed it. So I feel bad for that. I didn’t mean to break somebody’s chin, but it’s my work to make somebody pain and make me happy, my family,” he said.

“I wasn’t trying to break his jaw in any way. It just happened that I went for a choke, and I heard something click. I thought I was taking his neck, but I guess I broke the jaw,” Chimaev further added.

UFC CEO Dana White had said in August that the next UFC middleweight title fight would be a rematch between current champion Dricus du Plessis and ex-champ Sean Strickland. But this fight has indeed shaken up the dynamics. Interestingly, before UFC 308, the South African had expressed his desire to fight both Chimaev and Whittaker, indicating a readiness to take on the top contenders in the division. He even discussed this ambition with Rikus de Beer, more commonly known as Radio Raps.

‘Stillknocks’ stated, “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].”

He further chimed in with his intentions for the future of the division and said, “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].” Should the UFC change its mind, booking a title fight between Dricus and Khamzat, interesting facts are unfolding in the betting scenario.

Shortly after his UFC 308 victory, BetOnline ranked Chimaev as a -200 betting favorite over Du Plessis, who was listed at +170. On the other hand, if the UFC goes for a title eliminator between Chimaev and Strickland, Chimaev is the -250 favorite over the +210 Strickland. So what does the Dagestani himself have to say?

Khamzat Chimaev believes he has earned his ultimate shot

As UFC 308 fight week started, the MMA community was surely intrigued by a new variant of the former “killing everyone, smashing everyone” persona of Khamzat Chimaev. A calmer and calculated version of ‘Borz’ can prove to be a massive problem for all the other 185fers in the division. After the fight, Chimaev was quite straightforward in his argument.

As he pointed out in a conversation with ESPN MMA, the former champion Rob has been a standout fighter (he has a track record of beating elite grapplers like Yoel Romero and Ronaldo Souza). Even with that, he could not defeat Khamzat. Rob’s fate was sealed unexpectedly early. This dominance should be sufficient for Khamzat to earn a title bout.

After his emphatic performance, Chimaev joined Daniel Cormier for the post-fight interview. He asserted his claim as the next title challenger and said, “Yeah man, I’m going for the belt, that guy is, thanks bro, I love you, my brother…You’re a legend, respect that he took the fight…..Now the champion is running from me. Dana! What’s wrong with UFC man? Give me the belt!” 

It is difficult to argue against ‘Borz’ as he most certainly has frog-hopped Sean Strickland as the next in line for the middleweight title. For the unversed, ‘DDP’ dethroned Strickland in a razor-thin split decision win earlier his year. Since then, the champion has submitted Israel Adesanya to defend the crown, while the outlandish American has beaten Paulo Costa to earn a rematch. With the duo heavily linked to UFC 312 scheduled in February in Australia, it will be interesting to see who gets the green light.

Nonetheless, Chimaev has certainly revamped himself with a new-found brand of violence. With a scientific drive in his preparation to preserve his well-being, he can finally register his claim as the best in the world. As he pointed out after the fight, “Maybe he [Whittaker] was thinking about he has a good defense for the wrestling but bro my wrestling is different level.” What did you make of the co-main event of UFC 308? Is Khamzat Chimaev next in line for the 185lbs title? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!