Khamzat Chimaev handed Kamaru Usman his third consecutive loss in the promotion via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) in the co-main event of UFC 294. The close contest saw both men punishing each other, but Chimaev was clearly the aggressor and the better man tonight.
As for Kamaru Usman, he had an unsuccessful middleweight debut and can move down to 170 lbs, possibly. However, his prowess as a middleweight came to the display as he and Chimaev unveiled an entertaining contest in Abu Dhabi.
Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev didn’t let the fans blink an eye
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Sending off a chilling smile in the beginning, Khamzat Chimaev got hold of Kamaru Usman at the start of round one. While the ex-welterweight champion did everything possible to get free, it turned out in vain.
Khamzat Chimaev got positioned on Kamaru Usman?s back and landed several good shots. Kamaru Usman consumed them all while helping himself out of a potential choke. Khamzat Chimaev greedily went for a rear naked choke while Usman went on his feet. Nevertheless, ?The Nigerian Nightmare? fell back on the mat again as Chimaev kept complete control of the fight.
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Kamaru Usman seemed completely helpless with survival as his only option. It was commendable of him to get past the bell but ‘Borz’ clearly won round one. Chimaev showed rapid movement in round two while Kamaru Usman kept himself composed. As compared to round one, round two wasn?t very fast-paced. Both men took their time before pulling off the best shots. That said, Chimaev landed a successful takedown with less than one minute of round two but Usman survived it once again.
As advised by his corner, Khamzat Chimaev shot for a takedown in the start of round three, which Kamaru Usman escaped very easily. They both then entered into an interesting slugfest. Kamaru Usman landed some power shots on Chimaev and received the same in response. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ found his way back to the game and connected more power shots.
After a while, Chimaev reciprocated by taking down Usman. He controlled the former champion for a brief period but Kamaru Usman found himself on his foot again as they ended the fight with another slugfest to offer. The UFC 294 co-main event was a nail-biting affair till the final bell.
How the internet reacted to Chimaev beating Usman
The entire MMA community had their eyes on the fight as social media erupted with reactions after Khamzat Chimaev vanquished Kamaru Usman in UFC 295. From Paulo Costa to Conor McGregor, here’s how Chimaev vs. Usman affected everyone.
smoking chicken lungs ? lol ? I?m just laughing
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) October 21, 2023
Usman would?ve won if it was 5 rounds
— ? (@Shadowiscold) October 21, 2023
https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1715816252046721081?t=YzFYqnLTY0bqaasCMCNAsg&s=19
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I?ll make it look easy #UFC294
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) October 21, 2023
Two 10-8?s get these fucken guys out of here. When does AI start judging fights? These humans are incompetent.
— Justin Gaethje ?? (@Justin_Gaethje) October 21, 2023
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Also Read | Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 Forces Conor McGregor to Submit a Crucial Change in Rules