Khamzat Chimaev seeks attention 'by throwing around names' like Conor McGregor, says Belal Muhammad
Belal Muhammad has jibed at Khamzat Chimaev by drawing parallels between the latter and UFC megastar Conor McGregor.
'Remember the Name' has often suggested that despite igniting rivalries against other fighters on social media, McGregor usually doesn't fight them. He believes McGregor feuds with them simply for attention.
A critic of former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion McGregor's purported attention-seeking tactics, Muhammad opined that UFC welterweight and middleweight star Chimaev is similar to the Irishman.
Kamaru Usman has responded to Khamzat Chimaev's tweet 👀 https://t.co/7WGcCUsre4
In his latest interview with The Schmo, Muhammad was asked about a potential fight between former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev.
There's been widespread speculation that Usman could face Chimaev either at a catchweight between welterweight (170 pounds) and middleweight (185 pounds) or perhaps at 185 pounds.
When asked if he foresees Usman moving up to middleweight for the 'Borz' matchup, Muhammad responded by lambasting Chimaev and stating:
"I don't know, man. It's like, this new Twitter age is kind of annoying. Because, Khamzat's one of those guys, kind of like a [Conor] McGregor, where he wants the attention. So, he'll throw out a random tweet here and there. But nothing ever comes of it, right?"
"And it's like, when they say that, I'm like, 'Bro, that fight [Usman vs. Chimaev] not happening.' Because they'll talk about it, they'll both say something about it. Then, there won't be nothing else. And you'll see, 'Oh, Khamzat's gonna fight this guy. Khamzat's gonna fight that guy.' So, I think he's just literally all talk; just to stay in the news, stay relevant."
Watch Muhammad discuss the topic at 8:03 in the video below:
Khamzat Chimaev sheds light on his potential comeback timeline and opponent
The consensus is that UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards will defend his title against Colby Covington later this year. Additionally, it's believed that Belal Muhammad is likely to fight the Edwards-Covington winner for the title, possibly in early 2024.
Meanwhile, UFC president Dana White has consistently maintained that since Khamzat Chimaev missed the welterweight mark in his last fight, his next matchup will be contested at middleweight.
Dana White confirms Khamzat Chimaev will return as a middleweight.
More: bit.ly/3ZZM0co https://t.co/op5uMn11te
Khamzat Chimaev recently indicated that he'd like to face Kamaru Usman next at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on October 21st, 2023. 'Borz' is seemingly willing to fight Usman, irrespective of what weight division their bout takes place in.
Their fight hasn't been officially confirmed yet. Nevertheless, in a video posted to his YouTube channel, the undefeated Chimaev recently emphasized that he's been training hard for the possible matchup. 'Borz' said:
"UFC told us we're going to fight in Abu Dhabi, so that's what I'm waiting for... [Now I'm] just waiting for the opponent and for the contract so we'll see what's going to happen. Usman wants to fight, I'll make it his last fight... I'm gonna fight this guy in Abu Dhabi and smash his face, finish him, and then they have to give me that title shot."
Watch Chimaev's assessment in the video below: