"This would be insane" - Aljamain Sterling on a potential grappling match between Khamzat Chimaev and Bo Nickal
With the recent signing of Bo Nickal, the UFC has another potential star on its hands. Nickal, who contends at middleweight, has already called out Khamzat Chimaev for his UFC debut.
However, a grappling match against Khamzat Chimaev would be much more "interesting" as opposed to a fight in the octagon, claims Aljamain Sterling.
The three-time NCAA Division I National Champion put on another sensational performance last time out, earning a triangle choke submission win in under a minute into the first round. The bout served as the 26-year-old's second on the Contender Series, and the prospect was rightfully rewarded with a UFC contract. Top prospect and grappling prodigy Khamzat Chimaev is seen as a potential opponent for the American.
While addressing the potential clash on his YouTube channel, Aljamain Sterling explained why a grappling affair between Chimaev and Bo Nickal appears intriguing:
"Bo Nickal, Khamzat Chimaev, grappling match. This would be insane... I don't want to see these guys fight right now [in the UFC]. Khamzat's got way more experience...The grappling is going to be very, very highly-contested. I would love to see them grapple, I would take the folk style wrestler [Bo Nickal] over the freestyle wrestler [Khamzat Chimaev]."
The expectations surrounding the 3-0 rising star have many similarities to the rise of Chimaev. Many expect him to steamroll his way through the rankings all the way into the top 5 of his division.
Despite having a background in wrestling, the American Top Team representative has already showcased the unbelievable power he possesses in his hands and understanding of the submission game when the fight hits the mat.
Check out what the bantamweight champion had to say about the fantasy matchup in the video below:
What are Khamzat Chimaev's grappling credentials?
As we've seen in the octagon, Chimaev is a dominant wrestler who utilizes his strength and technique to immobilize opponents while he fishes for submissions, but what are his credentials in wrestling?
In the years 2015, 2016, and 2018, 'Borz' achieved gold at the Swedish Nationals for Men's Freestyle Wrestling, completely overpowering everyone he faced in the competition.
Throughout his seven years as a freestyle wrestler, Chimaev is yet to lose a bout and holds a record of 24-0. His most notable win to date is his 8-0 destruction of UFC middleweight Jack Hermansson.