"Don't run like chicken" - Khamzat Chimaev reminds Neil Magny that they have unfinished business
Khamzat Chimaev has reminded Neil Magny that they have unfinished business.
Known for not holding back on his criticism of rival fighters, Khamzat Chimaev took to his official Twitter account and posted the following tweets:
Khamzat Chimaev’s tweet, directed at Neil Magny, reads:
“@NeilMagny you’re fighting me next. Don’t run like chicken We will see who slaps who in the cage @danawhite”
One of the combat sports industry’s breakout stars of the 2020 calendar year, Khamzat Chimaev was touted as a future UFC champion at welterweight and middleweight. He is a wrestling savant with exceptional overall grappling skills and an ever-evolving MMA skill-set.
The Swedish fighter, who was born in Chechnya, Russia, holds an undefeated professional MMA record of 9 wins and 0 losses.
Khamzat Chimaev is just 27 years of age and is hailed as one of the top prospects in MMA today.
Neil Magny is willing to face Khamzat Chimaev but won’t wait for the fight if it takes too long to materialize
Perennial UFC welterweight contender Neil Magny has addressed the much-discussed matchup between himself and Khamzat Chimaev.
During the UFC Vegas 26 (May 8th, 2021) post-fight press conference, Neil Magny stated:
“I’m at this point where Khamzat is; I mean the dude is a great competitor. I can definitely fight him, and that will propel my career forward. But at the same time, I can’t afford to put my career and life on hold to hope that he’s better. The guy has pulled out of three fights now over the last few months. So, for me to kind of put all my eggs in one basket and wait for him and hope that he’ll be ready this summer, it’s just foolish on my end.”
“I mean, I think if he prioritizes getting healthy and can actually complete a camp and show up ready to fight, then sure, that’s a fight that I’m definitely interested in. But as far as putting my life on hold and waiting for him, I have things that I want to accomplish and time’s is not my best friend at this point, so I can’t wait around for him.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)
Khamzat Chimaev had been booked to return to the octagon on three separate occasions over the past few months. However, he withdrew every single time as he has been dealing with the after-effects of his COVID-19 affliction.
Chimaev last competed in September 2020, while Neil Magny last fought at UFC on ESPN: Rodriguez vs. Waterson (May 8th, 2021), where he secured a unanimous decision win over Geoff Neal.