Khamzat Chimaev, a UFC welterweight contender, is one of the most promising fighters in the company right now. The ‘Borz’ made a smashing start in the UFC against John Phillips at UFC on ESPN 13 and has been on a winning streak ever since. In all of his professional battles, the Swedish national has won by submission or knockout, proving his superiority in each outing. Chimaev currently boasts a commendable 9-0 professional fight record.
The ‘Borz’ recently made headlines after he revealed what went down in an altercation with middleweight contender Kevin Holland backstage at UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Oleink, which took place at the UFC Apex Sports Complex Las Vegas. In a video, Khamzat addressed what happened with Holland that night.
He said “Holland, He commented something under an IG post about me. He wrote something like, ‘it’s all good but where’s your mask? You can infect him.’ Something like that.” I came up to him in the hotel and asked, ‘What did you mean by that?’ He answered, ‘I don’t really remember, but what about it?’ Or something like that. I grabbed his neck and pushed him away. Then, when people were holding me, he started. Blah blah blah, typical American thing. Just talking without doing anything.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Holland was in attendance for the event, because he fought Joaquin Buckley at UFC Fight Night. Khamzat, on the other hand, was present as a guest of UFC president Dana White.
Khamzat Chimaev on his conflict with Kevin Holland. 👀 pic.twitter.com/aH5v4JL8TJ
— 95 (@bosso95) October 22, 2021
While there appears to be some animosity between the two fighters, it appears that they will compete in different divisions of the UFC for the time being. Kevin Holland fights in the middleweight division, while Khamzat fights in the welterweight division. However, we’ve seen Holland compete as a welterweight before, and if the beef escalates, this could turn into a potential match-up.
READ MORE: Khamzat Chimaev Says Alexander Gustafsson Bought Him Shoes and Training Clothes During the Rough Times in His MMA Career
What’s next for Khamzat Chimaev?
Khamzat Chimaev will take on his toughest opponent to date at UFC 267. So far, he’s only fought competitors who aren’t in the top 15, whether at middleweight or welterweight. His upcoming opponent is ranked at number 11 in the welterweight division.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
At this Saturday’s highly anticipated UFC 267 event, the Swedish national is set to make his comeback after a thirteen-month sabbatical. For a welterweight duel, ‘Borz’ has been paired up with ‘The Leech’ Li Jingliang.
Should Chimaev emerge victorious once again, he will have the opportunity to begin competing against the top fighters in the division.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
What do you think will be the outcome of the bout? Let us know in the comments.