"Stop this 170 business" - Chael Sonnen wants Khamzat Chimaev to instantly move to middleweight division
Chael Sonnen feels Khamzat Chimaev should immediately switch to the middleweight division instead of pursuing UFC gold at 170 lbs. According to 'The American Gangster', Chimaev's physique makes him a natural middleweight and wouldn't require strenuous weight cuts to make the 185 lbs limit.
At welterweight, on the other hand, Sonnen feels Chimaev might have to torture his mind as well as body to make weight ahead of fights. He feels 'Borz' is still two to three wins away from earning a title shot at either 170 lbs or 185 lbs and therefore believes he should return to middleweight.
The former UFC title challenger also pointed out that Chimaev walks around at the same weight as reigning middleweight champ Israel Adesanya. In a recently released video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen said:
"Wherever Chimaev fights his next fight, that's his division. They're not going to take him out of it, not until he gets to a championship or gets proven that he can't win the championship and I think it's a very bad spot to put yourself in. Your career, your happiness, your likability, your mood, how much you sleep at night can directly be related to the lifestyle that you lead in your relationship with calories."
He added:
"When I watched him in there with Jack [Hermansson] he looked like he's going about 193 which is the perfect size 85 pounder as a matter of fact you want to know who else weighs 193 pounds walking around without cutting any weight - Israel Adesanya! It's not too late, stop this 170 business."
Watch Chael Sonnen give his take on Khamzat Chimaev's future below:
Khamzat Chimaev is looking to become a two-division champion
Khamzat Chimaev is reportedly set to take on Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in April. At the beginning of the year, 'Borz' made it clear that he's looking to fight for the welterweight title against Kamaru Usman by the end of the year.
Khamzat Chimaev doesn’t see a real challenge in Gilbert Burns: ‘I will smash him with my skills and power’
mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/02/khamza…
In a recent interview, he yet again reiterated his plans to make his way through the welterweight ranks and fight for the title down the line. If he manages to beat 'Durinho', Chimaev wants to take on the winner of the upcoming fight between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
During a recent interview with RT Sport, Chimaev said: (Quotes translated by RT Sport)
"I'm fighting Burns now. After beating Burns, hopefully I will fight the winner of Masvidal vs. Covington because it seems like Usman has an injury and needs time to recover."
Check out Khamzat Chimaev's interview with RT Sport below:
Although he's currently competing at welterweight, Chimaev also has his eyes on the middleweight division where he formerly fought. Following Israel Adesanya's win over Robert Whittaker at UFC 271, the undefeated phenom took a dig at the champ, claiming he'd finish 'The Last Stylebender' inside one round in a potential clash.
Israel Adesanya responded to Khamzat Chimaev's tweet: "Okay" 😐 https://t.co/nbsI0eW17h