"Let me eat this guy" - Khamzat Chimaev calls for a fight against Neil Magny
Khamzat Chimaev has shown an interest in a potential clash with Neil Magny. In his latest tweet, 'Borz' urged Dana White to book a fight between him and Magny, pleading with the UFC president to let him "eat this guy" next.
He tweeted:
"@danawhite let me eat this guy bro @NeilMagny"
@danawhite let me eat this guy bro @NeilMagny 🤪 https://t.co/Sbm0dspcBP
Khamzat Chimaev has been itching to get back into the octagon since his sensational victory over Li Jingliang at UFC 267 earlier this year. He has called out almost all the top fighters in the welterweight division, with very few reciprocating the same interest.
Neil Magny remains the only exception. Magny has been calling out Chimaev for quite some time now. The American has been extremely vocal with regard to his desire to fight the Russian-born Swede.
@KChimaev @MMAjunkie I've been ready!
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Magny rubbished the narrative that nobody wants to fight Chimaev, pointing out how he's been chasing the fight for almost a year now. He said:
“This whole Boogeyman idea, that no one wants to fight him, I’m like ‘No man, I’m right here.’ I’ve been trying to fight you for literally a year... I’m trying to wrap my head around and I can’t figure out. So last year was this whole ‘No one wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev’ [narrative]."
Magny shared his bemusement at the fact the fight wasn't booked, despite Dana White acknowledging that he was willing to fight Chimaev. He added:
"So Dana White came out and said, ‘You know what? I’m gonna give credit where it’s due, Neil Magny is the only guy that is willing to step in and fight Khamzat Chimaev.' I thought when he said that I was gonna be like, ‘Alright cool, Dana White acknowledged that.' I’m the only guy who wants to fight Khamzat, this fight’s gonna happen."
Check out Neil Magny's appearance on The MMA Hour below:
Khamzat Chimaev is more than likely one win away from a title shot
Khamzat Chimaev is the hottest prospect in the UFC welterweight division at the moment. He's won all four of his fights in the promotion so far, securing finishes in each of his performances.
With his win over Li Jingliang at UFC 267, Chimaev showed that he is a real threat to Kamaru Usman's reign as the UFC welterweight champion. His background in sambo-style wrestling, coupled with his underrated striking and relentless approach to fighting, will prove to be a real handful for anyone.
With Usman running out of contenders, Chimaev could leapfrog the pecking order at 170 lbs with a win over a fighter in the top 10. It remains to be seen who 'Borz' fights next.