Khamzat Chimaev vows to ‘tone down’ trash-talk against ‘solid guy’ Robert Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia

UFC Saudi Arabia marks some of the toughest challenges Khamzat Chimaev and middleweight peer Robert Whittaker have faced. ‘Borz’ is a dangerous fighter with his high-level grappling. Meanwhile, Whittaker is a former champion with surefire resolve, whom Chimaev doesn’t want to trash-talk to.

Training out of Allstars Training Center, Chimaev boasts quite a grappling prowess. However, ‘The Reaper’ has shown he’s equally capable of matching up to the undefeated Chechen fighter. Facing Paulo Costa at UFC 298, he is fresh off the heels of an entertaining battle. With confidence soaring high for Whittaker, Chimaev has decided not to trash-talk him out of respect.

I want to fight Whittaker, although I like him as a person... He’s a solid guy, ...doesn’t trash talk or cross any lines. We'll have fun at the presser, and then... fight each other.

Khamzat Chimaev to RedCornerMMA (@RedCorner_MMA)

Whittaker revealed wanting to make a quick and stylistic work out of Chimaev. As such, he doesn’t cross decent bounds of banter and holds quite the fanbase for it. The 26-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC striker out of PMA Super Martial Arts Centre doesn’t even consider holistically angry Sean Strickland unhinged or dangerously brash. As such, Chimaev respects him for it.

The June 22nd event is a historic beginning for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Instead of numbered cards, two popular names will garner more attention from the daily MMA enthusiast crowd. If such mutual respect persists, the fight will attract more attention than ever. At the end of the day, this fight remains much anticipated, with or without any trash talk.

Can Khamzat Chimaev outrun Robert Whittaker or finish him?

Chechen fighter Khamzat Chimaev recently said he would respect opponent Robert Whittaker and fight him head-on. But the question remains: can he do so against the cardio monster? Whittaker is infamous for going through full 5-round scraps with consistent acceleration and definitive strikes.

Meanwhile, ‘Borz’ has caught a lot of flak recently. He missed weight at the UFC 279 Official weigh-ins by several pounds (178.5). He also has somewhat questionable decision victories over Gilbert Burns (UFC 273) and  Kamaru Usman (UFC 294), where he gassed out after the first round.

Speaking to ESPN MMA‘s Brett Okamoto, the fighter slammed the ‘macho man’ gimmick of Sean Strickland. Xtreme Couture Coach Erik Nicksick dispelled such rumors; however, talking to MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn, Nicksick had once considered Chimaev to be title-contender worthy when Chimaev had sparred under his watchful eye. Despite overexerting himself, even head honcho Dana White lauded the undefeated contender for his athleticism.

The freestyle wrestler and BK Athén Club alum went 12-0. He now trains out of the jungle-esque backdrop of the infamous Tiger Muay Thai. TMT boasts champions and staple fighters like Valentina Shevchenko, Petr Yan, and Alexander Volkanovski. It has indoor cardio training and a cross-training regimen, which will improve his skills. Come June, both fighters would aspire to give their best while at it. Only time will tell if Chimaev can improve his cardio to earn the title shot.

In case you missed it:

• MMA legend unsure if Robert Whittaker has skills to handle ‘Swarm attack’ from Khamzat Chimaev
• “You’re next” – Khamzat Chimaev warns of lightning-fast finish against former training partner Sean Strickland

Stay Updated!

Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.

Subscribe NOW