5 hardest fights for Khamzat Chimaev in the welterweight division
Khamzat Chimaev put the world on notice with a dominant first-round submission victory over Li Jingliang at UFC 267. His record is now a perfect 10-0, and he looks set to terrorize the rest of the UFC's welterweight division.
Chimaev has barely taken a punch during his four UFC bouts thus far, making it tough to devise a game plan against him. Many were expecting the Chechen-born Swede to have a much tougher time against No.11-ranked Jingliang, but 'Borz' breezed past his Chinese counterpart.
Chimaev looks set to climb up the welterweight rankings, and given his recent performances, it's tough to envision anyone being able to stop him. However, he is yet to face the true elite of UFC's welterweight division.
That looks set to change very soon as one can only imagine Chimaev will return to the octagon before long, given how little damage he received at UFC 267. He has also forced himself into the rankings, meaning bigger fights are on the way.
Khamzat Chimaev was fired up after his win at #UFC267 🔥 https://t.co/qvElhCYwbt
While things are undoubtedly looking good for the talented Swede, he will now take on exceptional martial artists as he climbs the ranks. Some may want to see him face the likes of Nate Diaz, but in truth, there are likely more compelling match-ups out there.
Here are five match-ups that could provide Chimaev with the hardest test:
#5. Vicente Luque vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Vicente Luque is not the biggest name on this list, but he may be the most underrated. Having looked consistently promising throughout his career, he seems as though he may have now put it all together on his four-fight winning streak.
LONGEST ACTIVE UFC FINISH STREAKS
5 - Francis Ngannou
4 - Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev, #UFC267)
4 - Tom Aspinall
4 - Chris Daukaus
4 - Vicente Luque
He conjured first-round finishes over big names like Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa in his last two outings. On top of the results, which are comparable to Chimaev's, Luque also shares the ability to both submit and knockout opponents.
Luque is also very muscular for the 175-pound weight class, which may help him defend against the other-worldly strength we have seen from Chimaev. If Luque can avoid being swarmed, his experience may allow him to exploit openings in Chimaev's game.