"Puts him in position to fight for the title" - Jared Cannonier lauds Khamzat Chimaev for going through "fire" against Gilbert Burns

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Khamzat Chimaev (left) and Jared Cannonier (right) [Photo via @ufc on Instagram]

Jared Cannonier has lauded Khamzat Chimaev after earning the biggest win of his career against Gilbert Burns.

Chimaev was able to keep his immaculate record unblemished at 11-0 but not before getting thoroughly tested by the Brazilian. Cannonier, who claims to be a fan of both competitors, believes 'Borz' set himself up for a title shot against Kamaru Usman. During an interview with Helen Yee, 'The Killa Gorilla' said:

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"It was very competitive. It was a very fun fight to watch. It was good to see Khamzat go through that fire if you will, and come out with the same energy and the same vigor that he's had going in. So, yeah man, I guess the man is riding high right now as he should be. And especially after beating Gilbert, [that] puts him in a position to fight for that title at welterweight."

Check out Jared Cannonier's take on Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev:

Chimaev, of course, seemingly looked invincible prior to his run-in with Burns at UFC 273. After getting hit just once in his first four UFC fights, he absorbed a whopping 119 significant strikes from 'Durinho'.

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Jared Cannonier comments on Khamzat Chimaev potentially going up to middleweight

Jared Cannonier made it clear that he's a fan of Khamzat Chimaev. However, if 'Borz' decides to transfer to the middleweight division, according to Cannonier, it would be a different story. He further told Helen Yee:

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"Alright, now we're talking a different perspective here. When you talk about him coming to middleweight, now you're putting him in my crosshairs if you will. 'Cause I watch everybody at middleweight as a competitor, not as a fan or somebody who's watching somebody to learn something from. So, in that regard, if he comes up, he can definitely do some damage up here. As long as he stays away from my face, it would be the same thing that I do with everybody."

Cannonier, of course, is expected to be next in line to challenge Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title. 'The Killa Gorilla' defeated Derek Brunson by knockout in his most recent outing.

Meanwhile, Chimaev is currently unlisted in the middleweight rankings. However, the undefeated star showed potential in his most recent 185-pound fight when he made easy work of Gerald Meerschaert in September 2020.

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