Undefeated welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev is pointing fingers at the UFC. He accused them of obstructing his path to a championship match. Chimaev also stated that UFC is the reason for his ongoing inactivity since September of last year.
Chimaev is set to co-headline UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, next month. He will be competing against one-time middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa. This matchup marks Chimaev’s return to middleweight, with the match being potentially a title-eliminator.
Chimaev’s last outing at UFC 279 in September was nothing short of spectacular. He secured his twelfth consecutive victory by defeating Kevin Holland with a dominant opening round D’Arce choke submission.
Since that remarkable victory, Chimaev has yet to step foot in the Octagon. He has remained inactive for an entire year. Throughout this period, he has openly voiced his frustration and placed the blame on the shoulders of the UFC for his lack of matches.
In a candid statement on his official YouTube channel, Khamzat Chimaev expressed his bafflement at the UFC’s delay. He urged them to grant him the opportunity to compete for a title, claiming that they are deliberately keeping the title out of his reach.
Chimaev stated: “I don’t know why the guys [UFC] are waiting. Give that chance [to fight for a championship] to me. They are hiding that belt from me.”
Unfazed by the situation, Chimaev remains resolute in his pursuit of the championship. He confidently stated, “Anyway, like I said: when I smash everybody, they have to give that belt to me.”
Before his impressive victory over Kevin Holland, Chimaev secured a close decision win over former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.
Additionally, he extended his congratulations to newly crowned middleweight champion Sean Strickland for his remarkable victory over Israel Adesanya earlier in the month.
Chimaev commended him, stating: “He works hard, he deserves it. The guy is always in the gym. Now he got the belt. He has a good coach, a good team. I’ve been there training with that guy. They deserve that belt. He has been active, and fights with everybody. “