Khamzat Chimaev Not Good Enough to Beat “Veteran” Kamaru Usman, Claims Ex-training Partner Amid Dana White’s Reluctance in the Catchweight Bout

In the UFC, sparks are flying everywhere after the rumors of a potential bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman. Garnishing it with some more heat, welterweight contender Belal Muhammad has taken a dig at Chimaev – calling him out as ‘kind of like McGregor.’ But wait – that’s not all. Yet another middleweight contender has shared his take on the potential bout. He’s also one of Chimaev’s former training partners, who knows the ins and outs of both the fighters.

Chimaev’s ambition to face Usman at a catchweight of 185 pounds may not yield the desired outcome – says Sean Strickland. In an interview with Helen Yee, ‘Tarzan’ expressed his qualms about Chimaev’s ability to defeat the seasoned veteran, Usman. The interview with Helen Yee started off with the typical Strickland trash-talk that the fighter is pretty infamous for. Touching on a spectrum of topics, like his upcoming fight against Abus Magomedov on July 1, and his new podcast “The Man Dance” with Chris Curtis – the interview left no stone unturned.

Sean Strickland’s take on a potential Chimaev vs Usman bout

Helen kicked off the interview with her questions about Sean’s upcoming projects. The interviewer switched gears and soon, we heard Strickland voicing his opinions on the potential bout between Usman and Chimaev. Helen prompts Sean to reveal his predictions, asking,

Helen: “We just talked about Khamzat- he’s kind of uh targeting a fight with Kamaru Usman right now at 185. If that fight does happen, and you know, you’ve trained a bit with Khamzat, you’ve fought Kamaru before – who do you think wins that?”

Talking about the differences between both fighters, Sean labeled cardio as the decisive factor in the bout. He didn’t seem to have any betting favorite out of the pair – probably because he knows both fighters too well. Declaring Usman as the veteran, he may have hinted that Chimaev is not competent to beat Usman. He reasoned,

Sean: “The thing about Usman man – cardio – it’s just cardio – you know, I don’t necessarily know who which one is better on the skill level but I will say that Usman’s – you know, he’s the veteran. He’s had a lot of title fights – a lot of five-rounders… so only the Gods know!”

Sean’s reservations about Chimaev’s readiness to overcome Usman add an intriguing dimension to the discussion. What’s more – Dana White’s reluctance to the idea of arranging this bout at catchweight keeps posing a threat to the materialization of the fight.

No holds barred: Sean Strickland’s unfiltered call-outs target Adesanya and Costa

Sean Strickland is infamous for his call-outs and his antics – he always likes to be in the limelight. While speaking to Helen, Sean took a direct dig at Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya. Talking to Helen about his upcoming match, he scoffed at Costa for “playing games with the UFC.”

Keeping it raw, Sean strongly criticized the Brazilian, accusing him of ruining a potentially great fight that could have taken place between them, he further added, “I’m just saying, dude, me and Costa – dude, we should have been f**king fighting dude. But you’re too busy playing games with UFC – being a f**king woman… and you f**king ruined it, Costa, you ruined it.”

In response to Helen’s inquiry about a second bout with Costa, Sean laid out his intentions clearly. Once he defeats Abus, his focus will shift towards vying for the championship belt. Sean even called out the Stylebender, referring to him humorously as “Izzy with the ti**ies,” underlining his determination to face him.

Watch this story: Conor McGregor Has Set His Sights on Michael Jordan’s Throne

“Here’s the thing guys. Once I beat Abus, I want to fight for the belt… yeah, I would like to fight for a belt you guys, come on! F**king Izzy with the ti**ies! I gotta fight you.”

The candid interview covers many aspects of Sean Strickland’s raw and unfiltered opinions. What stands out the most is his insight about Chimaev and Usman – and what he thinks would be the deciding factor in the bout- cardio!

READ MORE: “True Pioneer and Legend”: Nate Diaz Joins UFC World as Ex-UFC Champ’s Record Accomplishment From 2000 Goes Viral