Dana White Grants Khamzat Chimaev Teammate’s Wild Four-Day Notice UFC 319 Wish

Khamzat Chimaev's teammate gets his shot at UFC 319 after getting his contract from Dana White after the Contender Series.

Dana White Grants Khamzat Chimaev Teammate’s Wild Four-Day Notice UFC 319 Wish

Khamzat Chimaev’s teammate is ready to make his UFC debut at UFC 319 (via X)

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Dana White’s Contender Series has been a remarkable success for UFC, consistently discovering fresh talent and providing opportunities. The UFC CEO takes immense pride in personally awarding contracts, making each victory a significant milestone for upcoming athletes. Recently, during a DWCS week 1, White surprised one of Khamzat Chimaev’s teammates, creating a memorable and emotional moment.

Baysangur Susurkaev, a longtime teammate of Chimaev, earned his UFC contract after defeating Murtaza Talha in a middleweight clash. He secured a spectacular first-round TKO victory, landing a devastating body kick that ended the fight and showcased his striking power. Reports indicate Susurkaev is set to fight alongside Chimaev at UFC 319, marking an exciting moment for fans.

Susurkaev is set to face Eric Nolan on just four days notice, following his impressive DWCS victory only last night. While many fighters have accepted bouts with shorter preparation, making a UFC debut under such circumstances adds intrigue and excites MMA fans. Chimaev was also hyped about his teammate and expressed his enthusiasm for Susurkaev’s debut during the UFC 319 Media Day. 

He’s crazy good, he did his whole camp with me, doing sparring and stuff. So I knew he was going to go there and take the contract. He has a good future, great future if he continues to work hard like he does. You’re going to get a new champion.

Khamzat Chimaev via UFC 319 Media Day 

After Susurkaev’s stunning knockout, Dana White appeared visibly impressed, which may have influenced his decision to grant the fighter a debut. Other than that, rest of the fight card did not live up to expectations and drew the ire of the UFC boss.

Over the years, DWCS has produced numerous elite strikers who transitioned successfully into top-tier UFC careers, consistently impacting their divisions. Notable examples include Sean O’Malley, Jack Della Maddalena, and Jamahal Hill, all of whom eventually captured prestigious UFC championship titles.

UFC champion predicts Khamzat Chimaev’s upcoming title fight 

This Saturday, Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 319. DDP personally called out Chimaev after defending his belt twice, claiming ‘Borz’ presented the toughest stylistic challenge in the division. Chimaev enters the fight as the betting favorite, largely due to his incredible wrestling skills and relentless pressure inside the octagon.

Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 (via X)

He has already defeated veteran fighters such as Gilbert Burns, Kevin Holland, and Robert Whittaker to keep his undefeated status alive. Ahead of the main event fight in Chicago, the heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall shared his expert analysis and warned the champion.

Essentially, [Chimaev is a] front-foot fighter. [He] likes to be on the front foot. A lot of fakes [down] and a super athletic guy. A lot of fakes up and down, which is when you see him doing this kind of thing: Goes down [for the takedown], then when his opponents go down, he’ll come up with the right [hand], [as he has] really heavy hands as well. He attacks the knees and goes on his own knees. The level of grappling that Khamzat Chimaev brings is… He’s so high level, and his grappling is so, so high level.

Tom Aspinall via TNT Sports 

Despite all the threats posed by Chimaev’s relentless wrestling, Du Plessis remains unfazed and fully committed to victory. His coach has expressed unwavering trust in their carefully crafted gameplan, believing it can neutralize Chimaev’s pressure and wrestling-heavy approach effectively.

DDP’s awkward fighting style and unpredictable movement have consistently given opponents trouble, making him a difficult puzzle to solve. However, all of that doesn’t really matter if the South African fighter cannot avoid dangerous situations in the first couple of rounds as Chimaev is generally stronger during that period.

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