Khamzat Chimaev is finally coming back after more than a year of inactivity, and fans are more excited than ever. We saw the last of Chimaev at UFC 279, where he defeated Kevin Holland in the first round. However, his missed weight cut and the shuffling of the entire UFC 279 card made things a bit problematic for ‘Borz’. It has been a year since then, and it finally seems like the 29-year-old is ready to come back.
Now, Chimaev has moved up a weight class and aims to conquer the division with his relentless style. One major question in everyone’s mind still remains: Who can beat Khamzat Chimaev? ‘Borz’ has a flawless MMA record of 12 wins and 0 losses. Not many fighters have been able to go toe-to-toe with the Chechen-born fighter inside the cage. But a known UFC veteran feels like there is one rising star who can give tough competition to Chimaev.
Former UFC referee John McCarthy pitches Dana White’s prospect against Khamzat Chimaev
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There have been tons of new and promising fighters in the UFC lately. However, Bo Nickal stands out from the rest because of his exceptional performances and wrestling prowess. Ever since his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Nickal has been showing nothing but excellence in the MMA cage. This has gained him public recognition from Dana White himself.
Recently, former UFC referee John McCarthy made some intriguing remarks about Bo Nickal. While talking about UFC 294 and Chimaev’s return, he discussed a potential fight between Chimaev and Nickal. According to McCarthy, this fight will be highly competitive.
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“I’m being honest and I know Chimaev is not ranked in the 185s either. But Bo Nickal has said a whole lot of things about Chimaev. I would love to see Bo Nickal and Khamzat Chimaev locked together. That to me is the fight. He ain’t gonna outwrestle Bo Nickal,” he said. However, his podcast companion and former UFC fighter, Josh Thomson, did not agree with this. “I want more experience for Bo Nickal. I think he needs at least two more fights,” he said.
Bo Nickal isn’t impressed by Khamzat Chimaev
Both Chimaev and Nickal have brilliant wrestling skills in their arsenal, and the MMA world respects them for that. However, the American UFC star does not seem to be impressed with Chimaev’s wrestling skills. A few weeks ago, Nickal appeared in a candid interview with Clash of Combat.
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There, he unapologetically discussed the three-time Swedish national champion’s skills as a wrestler. “He is trash. We are going to fight at some point. And people will realize there are levels,” he said.
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Khamzat Chimaev faces UFC star Paulo Costa at UFC 294. On the other hand, Nickal’s next opponent has not been finalized yet. Do you want to see the two talented fighters face each other? Let us know in the comments.
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