Dana White reveals the 2 opponents the UFC are looking to match Khamzat Chimaev against next
Dana White has revealed who he feels could face Khamzat Chimaev next. The UFC president suggested that Nate Diaz or Gilbert Burns would be the ideal opponent for Chimaev’s next fight.
Speaking to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, Dana White opened up on multiple topics. Iole opined that rising star Khamzat Chimaev is probably prepared to compete for the UFC welterweight title right now.
On that note, Iole asked Dana White whether he’d like to see Chimaev face reigning UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, the division’s No. 1 contender Colby Covington, or other fighters of that ilk. White responded by stating:
“I think, you know, you take him up and get him somebody in the top-five or, you know. There’s a lot of, you know, Nate Diaz was looking for a fight. Khamzat wants to turn around, so we’re talking to Nate Diaz about it. Gilbert Burns wouldn’t be a bad fight.” White added, “He’s ready for that top-five.”
You can watch Dana White’s conversation with Kevin Iole in the video below:
Is a Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz/Gilbert Burns matchup a realistic possibility?
Khamzat Chimaev debuted in the UFC last July and secured a trio of spectacular wins in the 2020 calendar year inside the octagon.
Following this, Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to face high-ranking UFC welterweight Leon Edwards in what was being regarded by many as a potential No. 1 contender’s matchup. Nevertheless, this fight fell apart on three separate occasions, from late 2020 to early 2021, due to Chimaev’s lengthy battle with COVID-19.
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Thankfully, the Chechnya-born Swedish MMA stalwart recovered earlier this year. Chimaev made his highly anticipated return to the octagon at UFC 267 on October 30th, facing Li Jingliang and submitting the UFC welterweight mainstay in the very first round of their fight.
The dominance he displayed against a fighter of Jingliang’s caliber has resulted in the MMA community calling for Khamzat Chimaev to be matched up with big-name fighters in the UFC’s 170-pound division.
As for the names mentioned by Dana White as potential opponents for Khamzat Chimaev in his next octagon appearance, neither Nate Diaz nor Gilbert Burns have any fights lined up right now. Furthermore, Diaz and Burns have indicated that they’d like to stay active and compete again before the end of this year.
Considering the aforementioned variables at play, a possible Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz or Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns matchup could surely materialize in the near future.