"Rice fish, rice chicken, it's crazy" - Khamzat Chimaev details massive difference in diet after shifting weight class
Khamzat Chimaev has revealed details of his step up to the middleweight division ahead of his UFC 294 clash against Paulo Costa.
Chimaev is set to return to 185 pounds for the first time since 2020, having previously won two bouts in the division under the UFC banner. 'Borz' will face fan favorite Costa, who heads into the bout following his unanimous decision victory over Luke Rockhold last year.
Whilst in the middle of his fight camp, Chimaev has started a docuseries on his YouTube channel, giving fans an in depth look into his return to the octagon. 'Borz' hasn't fought since his catchweight bout against Kevin Holland at the infamous UFC 279 card last September.
During the video, Khamzat Chimaev detailed the differences between making weight for 185 pounds compared to 170 pounds, which he has notoriously struggled with.
The 29-year-old stated that it's a strange experience because he feels more powerful and doesn't feel hungry. He explained:
"It's a different weight class. Different power. We eat different, not hungry anymore. At 77kg (welterweight), I just eat rice, rice fish, rice chicken, It's crazy. Now it's more training than before, more food, more energy. Different power, different energy, so that's good. We need to cut the weight any way but it's not that much like before. These next 30 days I will cut down on the food. Everything is different, man."
Catch Chimaev's comments here (4:50):
Michael Bisping believes Khamzat Chimaev can leapfrog Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis for a title shot
Michael Bisping believes Khamzat Chimaev could assert himself as the next No.1 contender in the middleweight division, provided he delivers a standout performance at UFC 294.
Strickland stunned the world when he dominated Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title at UFC 293. Since his victory, fans have debated whether Adesanya should be handed a rematch or Dricus du Plessis will have his first crack at UFC gold.
Weighing in on his former stomping ground was Michael Bisping, who broke down the division's potential future on his YouTube channel. According to 'The Count', fans should expect Khamzat Chimaev to face Sean Strickland next, should he be victorious against Paulo Costa:
"If Khamzat wins, is he fighting for the belt next? 'Cause I'll tell you what, Dricus du Plessis won't like it, Robert Whittaker won't, Izzy won't like it, Jared Cannonier won't like it! Sean Strickland, he might not like it either! But the reality is that if Khamzat Chimaev goes out there and can do what he does to everybody else, against Paulo Costa, there is you're next contender for the middleweight title."
Check out Bisping's comments here (10:15):