Arman Tsarukyan makes surprising comment on Khamzat Chimaev's weight in the wake of 'Hype Reality' 3 clash
Arman Tsarukyan recently shared his thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev's weight following their showdown at 'Hype Reality' 3. Both UFC stars have taken on the roles of rival coaches for the upcoming season of 'Hype Reality', a show produced by the Russian MMA promotion Hype Fighting Championship, filmed in Thailand.
The series mirrors the format of UFC's 'The Ultimate Fighter,' where two teams live and train under the same roof while battling it out against one another.
During a recent interview with Ushatayka (via Sport24), 'Ahalkalakets' reflected on his experience facing off against the undefeated Chechen fighter during the filming of the show's promotional content.
Tsarukyan revealed that 'Borz', who competes in the UFC middleweight division with an apparent walk-around weight of 195-200 pounds, was overwhelmingly powerful. He speculated that Chimaev could have weighed as much as 220 pounds at the time:
"Of course, I felt it [the power]. We had a fight, and it will also be included in the project. In addition to the fight, I felt his strength as well. He is very strong, powerful, and weighs about 100 kilograms."
Tsarukyan seemingly earned a title shot against reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev following his split-decision victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 300 this past April. The highly anticipated rematch was initially expected to headline UFC 308 on Oct. 26, but Makhachev's hand injury has once again delayed their showdown.
Meanwhile, 'Borz' is slated to make his long-awaited return to the octagon after a year-long hiatus, facing Robert Whittaker in a five-round co-main event at UFC 308. Chimaev was originally scheduled to clash with 'The Reaper' at UFC Saudi Arabia in June but was forced to withdraw just two weeks before the fight due to an undisclosed illness.
Arman Tsarukyan aims to team up with Khamzat Chimaev for potential title bout with Islam Makhachev
In an interview with Sport24 (via Championship Rounds) during the filming of 'Hype Reality' 3 last month, Arman Tsarukyan shared his enthusiasm about training alongside Khamzat Chimaev throughout the show.
'Ahalkalakets' mentioned that he also intends to ask Chimaev for assistance in preparing for his potential championship bout against Islam Makhachev, given their similar grappling-heavy fighting styles:
"To be honest, he is there, and if there is an opportunity to train with him, it would be good since he is tall and can work in a left-handed stance. I will ask him to help work with me. Yes, if he doesn’t refuse, it would be good to train as sparring partners. But in general, his build is similar to Islam's."
Check out Arman Tsarukyan's comments below: