Khamzat Chimaev is the king of chaos and on Sunday [AEST], he was causing it inside the octagon as the UFC’s newest villain made another statement in his undefeated run.
Chimaev forced the UFC into action earlier in the week when he failed to make weight ahead of his main event match-up with Nate Diaz.
The 28-year-old weighed in at 178.5 lbs, well over the 170 lbs limit for welterweight, sparking a last-minute shuffle on the card that instead saw him face off with Kevin Holland.
It was a tougher fight for Chimaev but he made light work of Holland, scoring an immediate takedown before eventually get the submission just over two minutes into the opening round.
“To do that to Kevin Holland is unbelievable and the way he did it, the pace, the speed, everything,” Joe Rogan said in commentary.
“You know what that is. That is just knowing the guy doesn’t have anything going,” replied Daniel Cormier.
“The only way you empty the gas like that is just knowing I’m better than this dude and I’m going to get him out of here.”
“That’s why he’s such a terrifying talent,” added Rogan.
Chimaev, who was booed as he walked out to enter the cage, continued to play to the crowd after his dominant victory.
“Say something,” Chimaev yelled.
“So what now? This is Chechnya motherf****r. I’m the most dangerous guy here. I’m coming for everyone. I kill everyone. I killed that guy.”
Chimaev went on to claim that he could have made weight but his doctor stopped him.
“Nobody can stop me. If I die, I die in the cage,” he added.
“I didn’t come here to make my weight and die in my bed. I die in my cage. I never leave the cage, it’s my home. I take everything from you guys.”
Chimaev also reiterated that he is still pushing for the belts at both the 185 and 170-pound divisions, calling out Diaz and Tony Ferguson after the fight.
Speaking of Diaz, the terrifying nature of Chimaev’s win on Sunday only further proved just how much of a mismatch it would have been if the UFC veteran got in the octagon with the undefeated rising star.
Dan Hardy was highly vocal about his concerns when the fight was first announced, accusing the UFC of being “cruel” in matching Diaz up against Chimaev.
“It feels like we’re getting to the point where someone should start thinking about pressing charges,” Hardy told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
“It doesn’t feel like a fair fight. It feels like a very, very cruel thing to do to someone that is a legitimate legend. Because they’ve spoken out against the organisation, they’re going to get executed live on TV. That’s kind of how it feels, and it makes me feel uncomfortable to think that’s the way it’s going to go down.
“I hope, desperately hope, that Nate at least comes through it alright, but after watching what Khamzat did to Rhys McKee and to John Phillips — yes, of course, Nate’s got good jiu-jitsu, but there comes a point where jiu-jitsu is nullified by good wrestling.
“It happened in the early days of the UFC, and it would happen against Nate if it hits the floor. I think he gets nullified and I think he gets beaten up horrendously from the top position. I think it’s going to be uncomfortable to watch, and I think it’s going to leave the UFC in a very, very bad light.”
There were plenty of similar reactions on Sunday after Chimaev’s win along with astonishment at just how good he is from the likes of UFC star Henry Cejudo.
“Khamzat Chimaev has absorbed ONE significant strike in his UFC career COMBINED outside the Gilbert Burns fight. That’s ridiculous! A dominant wrestler who is committed to wrestling is a DANGEROUS recipe in this sport,” Cejudo tweeted.
