Watch: When Khamzat Chimaev hilariously messed up trying to pronounce Paddy Pimblett's name
Khamzat Chimaev is getting to grips with Paddy Pimblett's rising fame as they both continue to make a mark in the UFC.
In an interview with UFC Arabia in October 2021, Chimaev was asked who would be a possible opponent for his teammate Guram Kutateladze after his debut win against Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Fight Night 54. Chimaev replied by saying:
"This new guy, what his name with the hair, baby hair. I can't say his name. I hope they fight together. Well, if Guram wants to fight with him, it'll be a cool fight."
The Swede was prompted by the interviewer referring to Paddy Pimblett, but Chimaev struggled to pronounce it repeatedly as seen in the below Twitter post.
Khamzat Chimaev trying to pronounce Paddy Pimblett’s name 😭 https://t.co/C9pbbbFkwr
Pimblett is coming off another impressive victory at UFC London on Saturday, taking out Jordan Leavitt to continue his impressive form in the lightweight division.
Chimaev, meanwhile, is gearing up for the biggest fight of his career till date. He is set to fight Nate Diaz in a highly-anticipated bout at UFC 279 in September, which is Diaz's last fight on his UFC contract. 'Borz' is unbeaten since entering the octagon, moving to a 5-0 record that included a hard-fought victory over Gilbert Burns in his last bout.
Watch the interview with UFC Arabia below:
Paddy Pimblett believes he’s a bigger star than Khamzat Chimaev
Paddy Pimblett hit back at Khamzat Chimaev after his debut win in the UFC last year, claiming that the UFC world was already talking about him more than the Swede.
In an interview with Uncaged MMA at the end of last year, Pimblett claimed that Chimaev isn't as talked about as him despite more fights in the UFC, saying:
“That’s a sh*t question, lad. Everyone knows it’s me. I’ve had one fight, and everyone’s talking about me. He’s [Khamzat Chimaev] had f*cking what, four, five? It’s not the same, lad." (h/t LowKick MMA)
While the duo continue to make a mark in their respective divisions, Chimaev is ranked No.3 in the welterweights. A win over Diaz in September could push him even closer to a title fight against Kamaru Usman. For Pimblett, he is a rising star in the lightweights with three wins in succession, but the Englishman still has a long way to go.
Watch Pimblett's interview after his win over Leavitt below: