5 adjustments Khamzat Chimaev needs to make to beat Kamaru Usman

Khamzat Chimaev might need to make adjustments if he wants to defeat Kamaru Usman

This weekend saw Khamzat Chimaev pick up the biggest win of his UFC career to date. He defeated Gilbert Burns and now finds himself ranked at No.3 in the welterweight division.

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A shot at UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman now seems inevitable for Khamzat Chimaev, but could ‘Borz’ really dethrone ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’?

Based on what we saw in his fight with Burns, it seems unlikely that Chimaev could defeat Usman right now. However, he’s definitely got the potential if he makes a few changes.

With that in mind, here are five adjustments Khamzat Chimaev needs to make to defeat Kamaru Usman.

#5. Khamzat Chimaev should tighten up his striking defense

Chimaev ate a number of heavy strikes from Gilbert Burns in their fight

Prior to his bout this weekend with Gilbert Burns, Khamzat Chimaev had not eaten a single significant strike during his four-fight UFC career. However, that all changed dramatically in his fight with ‘Durinho’.

Chimaev absorbed a total of 119 significant strikes, including 89 to the head. He also found himself stunned badly on more than one occasion in the second round in particular.

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Sure, ‘Borz’ demonstrated an excellent chin, as he never looked like he was on the verge of being finished by the Brazilian, but it’s also worth noting that Burns isn’t exactly renowned for his knockout power. To be frank, it’s never good to eat so many big shots.

If he wants to defeat Kamaru Usman, then, it’s imperative that Chimaev tighten up his striking defense. After all, if Burns, who possesses a 71” reach, could touch him up standing, there’s no doubt that Usman, who has a reach of 76” and possesses a nasty jab, could do the same.

Put simply, it’d be a bad idea for Chimaev to brawl with ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ like he did with Burns. Instead, ‘Borz’ would be far better off working on his head movement, footwork and angles, and looking to catch the champion with his brutal power punches in a more nuanced way.

Could Chimaev knock Usman out? He’s definitely got the heavy hands to do so, but if he comes at him like he did with Burns, he risks being knocked out himself, and that just isn’t a risk worth taking.