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Middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev recently revealed that he doesn’t plan on staying in the 185-pound division for very long. Having won the middleweight title in August, the Chechen intends on defending the belt one time before moving up to the light heavyweight division.
Chimaev wants a super fight against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, and believes it’s a good matchup for him.
“Everyone knows that (it’s a good fight for me). The UFC knows that, but the UFC don’t want to give this guy for me,” Chimaev told ESPN MMA.
“The guy says, ‘Oh, I come to you in jiu-jitsu or wrestling, grappling. I don’t know what. So, this grappling, jiu-jitsu, it’s not our job. Our job is UFC, a UFC fighter, so don’t say no to me. And he said that he can fight with [Dricus] Du Plessis. He accept the fight, but now he say like, ‘Oh, Khamzat not good fight.’ And now he’s saying he’s more famous than me. That’s why I’m using his name.
“Bro, if I just say hi in my story on Instagram, I make more views than his fight. So, I don’t think so, this guy more famous than me,” Chimaev continued.
Chimaev also went after Pereira’s coach, former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira.
“His coach, Glover Teixeira, he said like if he (Pereira) sees me in hotel or something. Bro, I don’t need hotel. You need to come to the UFC. You have a contract. If you want to fight, let’s go. Why? Why you say that stuff? This baby sh*t. If you want to fight, real fight, we meet somewhere. So, let’s see who has a big heart all the way,” Chimaev said
“I don’t have a problem fighting anyway, hotel, no hotel, or whatever. But our business is UFC. It’s the same fight. Go in there, make money, fight, let people watch who is real fighter,” continued the Chechen champion.
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Chimaev doesn’t think Pereira wants the fight and accused the Brazilian of ‘running’ from the matchup.
“I don’t think he wants that fight. He knows about it. The UFC knows about it. I can’t say the things the UFC said, it’s going to be not respectful for Alex because everyone knows this guy is not on my level,” Chimaev said.
“He’s a good striker, one of the best strikers. I give him the respect for him. He has knockout power and everything. But brother, like ask 99% in the world who is watching UFC, they’re going to tell you who is going to win the fight,” Chimaev added.
“He knows it. That’s why he’s running away. Why accept the fight against Du Plessis? Why he not accept a fight against me? What’s that? I beat Du Plessis, like I destroyed the guy, five rounds, but he’s saying like I’m not famous. Was Du Plessis famous,” questioned Chimaev. “He has like 100 views on his Instagram. I have like 500 million views after the fight.”
Chimaev’s motivations to fight Pereira are financially driven more than personal. Paydays change lives. Belts sit in trophy cases. It’s the biggest checks Chimaev seeks.
“The important thing, they pay good. Alex, they’re going to pay good for Alex. Good pay-per-views. Maybe they pay more money for that. That’s why I’m pushing for that.”
