Khamzat Chimaev is frustrated with his lack of opportunities in the UFC. The unbeaten Chechen competitor has been watching from the sidelines since September, although he claims it is through no fault of his own.
Despite his readiness to take on any top contender in the welterweight or middleweight division, Chimaev claims that UFC President Dana White has yet to offer him a worthy opponent.
In an interview on his YouTube channel, Chimaev expressed his desire to compete for the title. He claimed that he was more than capable of defeating some of the top competitors in the promotion.
“I want to fight for a title so for me it doesn’t matter which weight class. I know we can go [170], but I don’t want to make weight for nobody [to fight]. Why am I gonna do that? I’m number three (in the division).”
“Actually, that number for me means nothing. I feel I’m the king in this weight class and I’m the king in the [185-pound] weight class as well so just give me a title shot.”
“I’m ready for Usman, I’m ready for Leon, I’m ready for Israel. It doesn’t matter. I’m ready for anybody. Just ask Dana. I said no never. I want to fight. I am the best and when you feel you’re the best you have to fight with the best. For Israel, there’s nobody there. Only me. If you spoke about money, if you ask the fans, they want to see me and Israel.”
Chimaev continued: “I’m a bad matchup for him. Everyone knows he’s going to lose the title. That’s why they save that guy. They built him up. They don’t want to lose him like that. [I would] fast finish that guy without punches and that’s why they’re scared. Then the story’s dead you know.”
“They don’t want to kill that guy. Maybe the guy makes money for them, but I still make money, but I’m still making money as well so I don’t know what’s going on. Who we gonna fight? There is nobody.”
“He wins against all the strikers and I’m a wrestler. A killer you know. I squeeze their heads off. I’m the biggest name without a belt. When you fight with me, there’s more money, more fans. When I fight, everyone’s waiting for my fight.”
Chimaev also went on to criticize the UFC’s other champions and the promotion’s tendency to prioritize rematches over fresh matchups. He cited the Adesanya vs Pereira rematch and the Usman vs Edwards rematch as examples of bouts that lack excitement and fail to captivate fans.
“The other champions, they’re the same. Boring. Everything is the same. The show is the same thing, they speak the same. I’m a big fan of the UFC, but the last year or so we only see the same thing. Pereira and Izzy two times. Usman and Leon two times. Who wants to see that sh*t? Nobody. I don’t want to see that sh*t. I want to see something fun. Fans want to see a crazy show. A crazy fight. People want to see ‘Borz.'”