"He can take down these UFC guys that have never wrestled" - Henry Cejudo asserts Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling is "nowhere near" Bo Nickal'sΒ
Bo Nickal called out Khamzat Chimaev after his performance on Dana White's Contender Series, which landed him a UFC contract. Olympic gold medalist and former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo gave his thoughts on the wrestling difference between the two fighters.
Despite Khamzat Chimaev being 12-0 and the No.3-ranked welterweight, Bo Nickal did not hesitate to call him out. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Cejudo shared that he was impressed with Nickal's confidence, stating:
"Bo Nickal says 'I want the Swedish princess. I want the guy that didn't make weight. That's the guy that I want. I just hope he shows up'. It just shows his confidence."
Henry Cejudo continued to share why he believes Chimaev's wrestling isn't at the level of Nickal, adding:
"Chimaev thinks he's good at wrestling - his wrestling is nowhere near Bo Nickal, I can tell you that. He can take down these UFC guys that have never wrestled - try taking Bo Nickal down, and 100 percent I can see Bo Nickal easily taking down Khamzat Chimaev."
Despite believing that Nickal's wrestling is already better than Chimaev's, Cejudo would go on to advise Nickal to take it slow before pursuing top fighters. He shared that he believes Nickal is a future UFC double champ.
Although the American called out Chimaev, the pair are unlikely to meet anytime soon. Despite entering the UFC as one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory, Bo Nickal will have to prove himself before getting a matchup like Chimaev. The No.3-ranked welterweight is on the cusp of title contention.
Watch Henry Cejudo's comments below (starting at the 3:06 mark below):
Khamzat Chimaev calls out Colby Covington
Despite teasing a potential move to middleweight, Khamzat Chimaev has called out a welterweight contender that he previously accused of avoiding him. 'Borz' is looking to face Colby Covington, who hasn't fought in nearly seven months since defeating Jorge Masvidal.
Chimaev's call-out of Colby Covington indicates that he plans to continue competing at 170 pounds despite missing weight at UFC 279. With welterweight champion Leon Edwards and No.1-ranked welterweight Kamaru Usman destined for a trilogy matchup, Covington, the No.2-ranked welterweight, is a logical opponent.
Defeating 'Chaos' would likely give Chimaev his first opportunity to become the welterweight champion against the winner of the trilogy between Edwards and Usman. Covington would present Chimaev with a much bigger wrestling threat than he faced at UFC 279, where he quickly submitted Kevin Holland.
See Khamzat Chimaev teasing a move to the middleweight division below: