Did Khamzat Chimaev change his team for UFC 294? Fans question the absence of head coach Andreas Michael in the UFC star's camp
Khamzat Chimaev is gearing up to face Kamaru Usman in a middleweight contest at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Ahead of his highly anticipated return to action, many fans noticed that Allstars Training Center head coach Andreas Michael is notably absent from Chimaev's training camp. 'Borz' has been part of the Swedish MMA gym since he was a 23-year-old amateur fighter.
While Chimaev has fought only six times in the UFC, he has established himself as one of the most dangerous opponents anyone could be booked against. Undefeated in his professional career, he has a perfect 12-0 record.
Chimaev's fighting prowess could undeniably be credited to his coaches. With experienced trainers like Andreas Michael, it's unsurprising that 'Borz' took the MMA world by storm. However, speculations are rife that all's not well in the Allstar Training Center camp.
Over the past few days, Khamzat Chimaev has been sharing pictures and videos from his training camp on social media from Abu Dhabi as he prepares for Kamaru Usman. While his Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach, Alan Do Nascimento, is present in many posts, Andreas Michael is a notable absence.
While fans questioned why Michael was absent from Chimaev's camp, Allstars Gym has been posting content about Khamzat Chimaev ahead of his fight at UFC 294. It's also important to note that Chimaev is no longer a Swedish citizen and has emigrated to the UAE.
It's unclear if Andreas Michael is still coaching Chimaev, but Alan Do Nascimento is in Abu Dhabi and has been training 'Borz' for his next test.
Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Darren Till predicts an easy victory for 'Borz' at UFC 294
Darren Till recently weighed in on the upcoming Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev middleweight bout. The Englishman predicted that Chimaev would make light work of the former welterweight champion and secure his championship shot against Sean Strickland.
After Paulo Costa pulled out of his scheduled bout against Chimaev due to surgery on his elbow, Usman stepped in as a replacement on less than two weeks' notice. While Till appreciates Usman's legacy as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history, he is firmly backing his close friend to win.
In a recent interview with 'The Schmo', Darren Till discussed the Usman-Chimaev matchup and said:
"Usman’s got balls, but I just think Khamzat is going to run over him, I do. As much as I’m his friend, I’m his biggest fan, Khamzat. I think he’s going to run over Usman. All respect to him. He is a GOAT, but yeah – I think Khamzat is going to ragdoll him. I do, sorry to say."