When Mike Perry explained turning down Khamzat Chimaev's invitation to train in Chechnya: "Maybe that's why Khamazat's so dangerous"
Khamzat Chimaev once invited Mike Perry to train with him in his native Chechnya. However, the proposed training session never came to fruition, and 'Platinum' explained why in a two-year-old interview with Helen Yee. While he has no issues with Chimaev, Perry was not keen on traveling to Chechnya.
He was, though, in Russia at the time. Unfortunately, the prospect of him training with Chimaev in Chechnya, one of 21 recognized republics in Russia, was low, as Perry was too anxious about its reputation as a dangerous place, despite being in Russian territory.
Perry told Yee:
"He [Khamzat Chimaev] told me to come to Chechnya, when I was in Russia and I was like, 'Yeah, probably not gonna make it, bro.' I heard that's no man's land. Shouldn't go there. But, I mean, that's a cool idea, that's a cool rumor that it's so dangerous that you shouldn't go there, and it's probably got some nice views. But I've heard Chechnya's pretty dangerous. Maybe that's why Khamzat's so dangerous."
Check out Mike Perry turning down Khamzat Chimaev's training invitation (7:21):
Back in 2022, Perry had already made peace with his dwindling career as a mixed martial artist. In fact, by the time of his interview with Yee, he was coming off a stunning majority decision win over striking specialist Michael Venom at BKFC 27: London, which improved his bare-knuckle boxing record to 2-0.
Since then, Perry has won three more times, TKO'ing fellow UFC alumni in former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, ex-lightweight titleholder Eddie Alvarez, and one-time welterweight title challenger Thiago Alves at BKFC 41, BKFC 56, and BKFC: Knucklemania IV, respectively.
Meanwhile, Chimaev has since risen to the top of the UFC, finally ready to vie for championship gold in the promotion.
Khamzat Chimaev is set to challenge for the middleweight title at UFC 319
Unbeaten at 14-0, Khamzat Chimaev recently defeated former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in devastating fashion at UFC 308 last year, submitting him within three minutes. Now, he challenges Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 319.
The South African star is also riding an excellent run of form and is undefeated in the UFC. The two men have jawed at each other in back-and-forths on social media, but Chimaev will look to live up to his reputation as an ultra-dangerous competitor by dethroning du Plessis.