The Chechen-born Swede is in the headlines nonstop nowadays. Khamzat Chimaev has made his comeback after battling Covid-19 and following the health issues. He has since become a bigger threat for the top 10 welterweight fighters in the UFC. Since his tremendous victory against Jing Liang at UFC 267 he went on a call-out spree. Among others he called out for Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and the champion Kamaru Usman.
But McGregor is the latest to make the list. The Notorious has made it clear that he doesn’t mind moving up to the welterweight division. McGregor is good at keeping the options for the return in 2022. You got to appreciate it. And McGregor is actually a fan of welterweight – ie weighing in at 170lbs without having to cut weight. Just ask Cowboy Cerrone. One interesting opponent is another former lightweight – Jorge Masvidal. Masvidal has opted not to cut weight some time back and has made a home for himself at welterweight for a number of years now.
Let’s make Big drama show @TheNotoriousMMA ? pic.twitter.com/sq9MK9rxg1
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) November 14, 2021
Recently Chimaev and McGregor had a friendly exchange of words on social media. After agreeing to fight Chimaev, McGregor revealed that Chimaev offered his services to beat the s*it out of Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018.
The Irishman wrote:
“Bratha, no problem. I appreciate you reaching out to the team in 2018 to come and help me beat up the little scared pigeon b**ch. Chechnya knows! F**k those eagles MMA pu****s, we are Akhmat MMA! Smash them up we will! Let’s go! The Mac and Akhmat! We take no s**t! Never peace.”
McGregor further added that Khabib and his crew were the reason behind the scuffle with his long-time training partner Artem Lobov. To equal, the difference McGregor and his crew threw a dolly at the bus at Barclays Center in which Khabib was present.
There is another side to this story. Chimaev in the interview with the Russian freelance reporter, Adam Zubayraev, told that he went to Ireland to protect the honor and pride. He didn’t want to help McGregor instead he went to beat up before the main event. McGregor crossed the limit by insulting Khabib’s religion, wife, and father. Chimaev went to Ireland and waited there at the airport for McGregor. But he was stopped by the forces and after some 8-9 hours he was sent back to Sweden.
He concluded:
“Honestly speaking, I wanted to beat him up,” Chimaev said. “Many people thought I was coming there to help him to prepare for Khabib… not for Khabib.
“I was coming there to protect our pride and honor. I was going there for all of us. If that would not have happened, I would have maybe thrown, I don’t know, some object. … I think I was able to stand for myself.”