Bryan Barberena reveals he was supposed to fight Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi

Bryan Barberena reveals he almost fought Khamzat Chimaev [Photo credit: ufc.com]

Bryan Barberena recently revealed that he was supposed to fight rising star Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi.

During an interview with Andrew Whitelaw of Sportskeeda MMA, Barberena spoke about the influx of young talent in the 170-pound division. He then revealed that he lobbied for a fight against 'Borz', the biggest prospect in the UFC. The Minnesota native said:

"You know, I was supposed to actually fight [Khamzat Chimaev]. I was actually trying to get a fight with him in Abu Dhabi. I guess like a year ago, two years ago. It didn't end up working out, but he seems to be doing well. And I'm just excited to get in the cage with some of these guys who are making some noise."

Check out our exclusive interview with Bryan Barberena below:

Bryan Barberena is set to take on fellow veteran Matt Brown on the main card of UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukaus this coming Saturday. Appearing for his first UFC outing in 2022, 'Bam Bam' will look to acquire a two-fight winning streak against 'The Immortal'.

Meanwhile, Chimaev has quickly risen through the ranks despite only having four UFC wins on his resume. He will take on No. 2-ranked UFC welterweight Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in April.

Bryan Barberena gives his prediction for Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards

Bryan Barbarena recently chimed in with his thoughts regarding the targeted rematch between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards.

Having fought Edwards before, Barberena has given his predictions for the welterweight championship bout. According to the 32-year-old, he expects Usman to once again emerge victorious against the Brit. Barberena explained:

"You know, Leon, he's very good. He mixes it up, he's definitely evolved and gotten better. He mixes up his striking with his wrestling. But I do think that Usman is too much and he's gonna hold the belt for a while. He's a very skilled guy – both guys are. But I just think Usman has the upper hand and is able to mix things up and he has also enhanced his game."

The date for Usman vs. Edwards 2 hasn't been announced yet. However, Ariel Helwani reported that the rematch is being targeted for July, with Edwards' camp already notified about the possible date.

Dana White says the only fight missing from tonight's UFC London card was the Kamaru Usman vs. Leon Edwards...

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Fans in India can watch UFC Fight Night - Blaydes vs Daukaus LIVE on SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) & SONY TEN 4 (Tamil & Telugu) channels on 27th March 2022 from 4:30 AM IST.