"We get the second belt, then we're gonna aim for something else" - Khamzat Chimaev's manager reveals why he is "not worried" about 'Borz' fighting heavyweights and light heavyweights
Khamzat Chimaev is one fight away from being a legitimate UFC contender at welterweight, but he has much loftier goals than just the 170-pound belt. According to his manager Majdi Shammas, Chimaev could compete for titles all the way up to heavyweight.
Shammas is the CEO of the Allstars Training Center in Sweden where Chimaev trains, and he also manages 'Borz.' In a new mini-documentary made by French MMA outlet La Sueur, Shammas revealed their team's plan to "do something that nobody has ever done before." He said:
"We want to take the belt at welterweight first, and then of course move up. And when we get the second belt, then we're going to aim for something else. I'm not worried for him fighting light heavyweights or heavyweights. That's what he does every day. He trains only with them, so his body is used to this. Not like other welterweights. There is several welterweights in the gym, I can't put them to do full sparring with Volkan [Oezdemir], with Ilir [Latifi], with Alex [Gustafsson] and these guys. I can't. But with Khamzat I can."
Watch Majdi Shammas lay out Khamzat Chimaev's plan to become a multi-division champion below:
While Khamzat Chimaev and his team sound more than prepared to have him fight for titles at multiple weight classes, it will come down to the UFC letting him move up rather than defend. Only four fighters have ever reached champ-champ status, and no one has ever challenged for a third simultaneous belt.
Khamzat Chimaev Lets Dana White Know No One Is Like Him! https://t.co/0MJLxKp2yv
Dana White believes Khamzat Chimaev has the potential to have the same impact as Conor McGregor
When most fighters talk about becoming double-champ or triple-champ, it's just talk. With Khamzat Chimaev, it could actually become reality.
Chimaev has already dominated quality opponents at both welterweight and middleweight, and his coaches are convinced he could handle light heavyweights and heavyweights. Given how exciting and popular he's becoming, the UFC may give him a chance to see how many belts he could collect.
In a recent fan Q&A hosted by GQ, Dana White revealed just how high the UFC is on Chimaev's potential as a superstar. He said:
"'Which fighter on the current roster has the potential to have the same impact on the UFC as Conor McGregor?' Maybe Khamzat Chimaev. We'll see."
For now, Chimaev is set to fight Nate Diaz at UFC 279 on September 10 in a rare non-title main event. That's just more proof the usual rules for how the UFC promotes a fighter don't apply to Chimaev. If he beats Diaz and a welterweight title fight is unavailable, could they move him right into a middleweight title fight against the winner of Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira?
Kamaru Usman v Leon Edwards joe rogan anik and dc post fight 'there's a parallel here when Leon fought Diaz and Usman tonight. DC says "Khamzat you gotta wait now..." #UFC278 @Leon_edwardsmma @USMAN84kg @joerogan @Jon_Anik @dc_mma @KChimaev @NateDiaz209 @ColbyCovMMA @danawhite https://t.co/5elzps202m