'It's hell for anybody'… Kamaru Usman reveals Khamzat Chimaev's greatest strength in potential DDP showdown

10/31/2024 07:19 AM

Khamzat Chimaev has well and truly put himself in contention for a shot at UFC middleweight king Dricus Du Plessis following his spiteful finish over Robert Whittaker.

'Borz' entered his fiercely anticipated bout last Saturday at UFC 308 as a slight favorite, but ultimately made a mockery of pretty much every pre-fight prediction.

The vast majority of MMA fans believed that seasoned operator Robert Whittaker, a former middleweight champion, would give Khamzat Chimaev his toughest test yet.

However, following his brutal first-round stoppage – submitting the Australian with a lethal face crank – Chimaev proved that he is, in fact, a cut above the rest.

Kamaru Usman hails Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling prowess following Robert Whittaker destruction

Chimaev's career-best win in Abu Dhabi arrived, in many ways, at the perfect time, after suffering a spell of inactivity in recent years.

But now, with the wind firmly back in his sails, the 30-year-old has the opportunity to become one of the all-time greatest fighters at 185 lbs.

Prior to his victory over Whittaker, Chimaev amassed a scintillating winning streak over the likes of Kamaru Usman, Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns.

And so, after experiencing the Russian's ruthless wrestling skills during their encounter last year, Usman attests that his former opponent is capable of taking anyone, including Dricus Du Plessis, down to the canvas.

"Khamzat is hell in that first round," Usman said on the Pound 4 Pound podcast. "It's hell for anybody. Do I think he can do that to Dricus? I think 100 percent he could take Dricus down.

"I think he can keep him down, but I don't know if he can get the finish because Dricus is very, very tough. There's a reason Dricus is the champ.

"Will Khamzat take him down? Yes. Could he keep him down? Yes, maybe the whole first round. But can he finish him? I don't know."

Dricus Du Plessis entertains potential title defense against Khamzat Chimaev

Du Plessis is, as Usman suggests, the number one middleweight for a reason, beating both Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland in his last two outings.

A rematch with Strickland, though, has been heavily mooted to take place next year, despite Chimaev climbing 10 spots to reach number three in the UFC's middleweight rankings.

But now, Du Plessis has told several media outlets that he believes Chimaev deserves his opportunity, hinting at a possible showdown early next year.

From a fan's perspective, too, the South African acknowledges that a Chimaev clash would garner more intrigue than a second Strickland encounter.