“He has everything so do I,” Kamaru Usman aims to poke Khamzat Chimaev’s ‘invincibility balloon’ at UFC 294 clash

Kamaru Usman is all set to give Khamzat Chimaev his toughest fight since the fighter joined the UFC.

“He has everything so do I,” Kamaru Usman aims to poke Khamzat Chimaev’s ‘invincibility balloon’ at UFC 294 clash

Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman (Image via IMAGO)

UFC 294 saw some unpredictable changes and in the co-main event, the undefeated star Khamzat Chimaev is now scheduled to fight Kamaru Usman. Chimaev’s original opponent, Paulo Costa, was replaced due to a severe staph infection in his elbow. 

It was a surprising change of events when former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman jumped in to act as a replacement. This fight marks Usman’s return after losing his title and experiencing two consecutive losses to Leon Edwards.

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Ahead of the fight, Usman has discussed what he expects from the ‘Borz’ and how the fight might go at UFC 294. In a recent interview, he said, “He’s definitely very talented. That’s why there’s a lot of excitement about him. He’s very skilled. He’s strong, he’s big. Also, he’s fast, he can wrestle, he can grapple, he can strike. He has everything but so do I. At the end of the day, we’re all human beings. Everybody feels invincible until someone comes in and pokes that balloon.”

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Usman mentioned that Chimaev is a big package and is very skilled in all aspects of MMA, including striking, wrestling, grappling, etc. According to the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, all this makes Chimaev a formidable opponent and popular amongst fight fans. However, Usman has claimed that he has everything that Chimaev has and he plans to destroy the undefeated run of the Chechen in the upcoming fight.

Related: “Can he handle the shots?” UFC champ fears Kamaru Usman might have too much on plate with short-notice Khamzat Chimaev fight

Kamaru Usman doesn’t have plans to leave the welterweight division anytime soon

The upcoming fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman is set at middleweight. Fans speculate that Usman may permanently move to 185 lbs. This decision adds excitement to the middleweight division; however, it seems like the former champion is not yet ready to leave.

Kamaru Usman (Image via X)
Kamaru Usman (Image via X)

Recently, Usman expressed that it’s a no-brainer. Usman mentioned that he has already beaten Sean Strickland in the past. According to the fighter, he’s currently focused on Chimaev and will think about the future after getting back to winning momentum. 

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Usman’s title run in the welterweight division was considered one of the most dominant in the history of the promotion. The fighter fought some of the best multiple times and came out victorious, until meeting Leon Edwards in their rematch. Usman has proven himself in the division and it won’t be surprising to see him changing his mind and moving up in the future. 

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