UFC fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Khamzat Chimaev, an undefeated fighter with 13 victories, including 7 in the UFC. Despite his impressive record, doubts remain about his ability to shine in the middleweight division.
Morne Visser, coach of champion Dricus Du Plessis, is one of the skeptics, believing that Khamzat may not be ready for this major challenge.
Chimaev, who excelled in the welterweight division, now faces a new challenge after moving up to middleweight. His next fight will be against Robert Whittaker, the former champion and current third-ranked fighter in the division. But can Chimaev continue his success in this weight class after missing weight at UFC 279?
Doubts About Khamzat in Middleweight
So far, Chimaev has fought three times in the middleweight division, but his opponents have not been among the top fighters. One of the notable fights was against Kamaru Usman, the former welterweight champion who took the fight on short notice. However, Chimaev’s victory over Usman came via a majority decision, fueling doubts about his performance in middleweight.
Morne Visser, Du Plessis’ coach, did not hold back his skepticism about Chimaev’s ability to compete in the middleweight division. In an interview, he said: “Khamzat is not in his class. His last fight against Usman was very close, and he couldn’t assert himself clearly. I think Robert Whittaker will easily beat him, and he will be crushed in this fight.”
Whittaker Confident in Victory
As UFC 308 approaches, Robert Whittaker appears very confident. Coach Visser shares this view, stating that Whittaker will dominate Chimaev thanks to his experience and grappling skills, believing that the middleweight division is not the right place for Khamzat to achieve major success.
Will Chimaev be able to prove the skeptics wrong and establish himself in middleweight? Or will Whittaker be the obstacle that sends Khamzat back to his original weight class?
