Khamzat Chimaev has called out reigning UFC light heavyweight champion and former middleweight champion Alex Pereira.
Khamzat Chimaev and Alex Pereira have been around each other for a long time. The two men sent jabs at each other several times on social networks and in the media, and spoke of a potential fight. This time, it was ‘Borz’ who returned to the charge by mentioning the boss of the UFC on X (formerly Twitter). Indeed, the Chechen fighter asked Dana White to let him “finish” Alex Pereira.
@danawhite let me finish him 🤝 pic.twitter.com/6JnJrgv2jR
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) November 20, 2023
“@danawhite let me finish it,” Khamzat wrote on X.
You’re going to sleep if that left hook connect your chin…
— Obsession MMA (@Obsessionmmapod) November 20, 2023
Fight Paulo in Toronto! Dont be chicken bro. @BorrachinhaMMA
Fight Paulo in Toronto! Dont be chicken bro.@BorrachinhaMMA pic.twitter.com/Hn2DUzTitA
— ricky~dooby (@rick_doobs) November 20, 2023
bru you couldnt finish usman with no trainingscamp, dont talk
bru you couldnt finish usman with no trainingscamp, dont talk
— Mike Hockney (@GriSergej) November 20, 2023
You’re going to sleep if that left hook connect your chin…
You’re going to sleep if that left hook connect your chin…
— Obsession MMA (@Obsessionmmapod) November 20, 2023
Alex Pereira fought on November 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Brazilian faced Jiri Prochazka for the vacant light heavyweight belt during the main event of UFC 295. In the second round, the man nicknamed “hands of stone” (once again) proved that his nickname stuck to his skin. With an English sequence and a series of elbow strikes, Alex Pereira won the victory by TKO, and the belt at the same time. In just seven fights in the UFC, ‘Poatan’ managed to win two titles. In November 2022, he secured the middleweight belt by dethroning Israel Adesanya with a TKO in the final round.
Khamzat Chimaev, for his part, fought during the co-main event of UFC 294 on October 21. For his return to middleweight, the Chechen faced Kamaru Usman in short notice, and won the fight by majority decision. If he wants to go up against Alex Pereira, Khamzat will probably have to move up to light heavyweight… He will therefore have a hard time facing a colossus like ‘Poatan’. To be continued…
The undefeated UFC prospect Khamzat Chimaev was supposed to be the No. 1 ranked contender for UFC middleweight champ Sean Strickland after defeating Kamaru Usman. However, this didn’t turn out to be the case. Chimaev supposedly suffered a broken hand after the fight, which caused him to miss the title shot. But now, Chimaev seems to be eyeing a title from a different weight class.
Chimaev has recently called out the newly crowned light-heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, on X (formerly Twitter). Chimaev, in the tweet, tagged Dana White and wrote, “Let me finish him”. The tweet left the MMA world confused as to why ‘Borz’ would challenge ‘Poatan’, who’s a weight larger than where he usually fights. The former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen was one of them. Here’s what he had to say about the call-out.
Khamzat Chimaev is notoriously known for calling out almost anyone he pleases. His callout of Pereira was no different. Chael Sonnen, just like all of us, was left confused after Chimaev’s tweet. Sonnen uploaded a video addressing the tweet on his YouTube channel.
In the video, Sonnen states, “We were told in no certain terms that, Chimaev, should he beat Kamaru Usman will become the No. 1 contender and fight Sean Strickland.” “That did not happen, Strickland got a quick turnaround, he’s going to go with Du Plessis”.
Sonnen then addressed the injury rumors, stating, “There are rumors that Chimaev had broken his hand in the fight with Kamaru Usman and therefore cannot go on. None of those were confirmed. Nobody actually has that piece of information”. He then addressed a second rumor by saying, “There are other rumors that Chimaev has travel restrictions. None of that would change and be a new piece of information”.
Chimaev, by no stretch, is a fighter who fibs. ‘Borz’ calling ‘Poatan’ out could only mean one thing. And that is, he believes he can beat Pereira. But none of us could guarantee what the Chechen has in mind.
