WATCH: Khamzat Chimaev CAUTIONS opponent Kevin Holland at UFC 279 face-offs
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Khamzat Chimaev and Kevin Holland face off at the UFC 279 ceremonial weigh-in
Khamzat Chimaev was the toast of the MMA community before the events leading up to Sunday, when UFC 279 will be held. The bout is still to take place, but one thing is for sure, Khamzat Chimaev’s stock has dipped among those who fervently watch the sport.
In April, when Khamzat Chimaev walked out to face Gilbert Burns, UFC commentator just stated two words which will remain etched in fans’ minds. These words are, “STAR POWER”. When Khamzat Chimaev entered and started competing in the UFC, he created hype that few have enjoyed before him.
The hype surrounding Chimaev was not because of his antics, but just his sheer mauling in each fight that he agreed to take part in. Before the Gilbert Burns bout, Khamzat Chimaev had had 5 fights – he had finished all of them, with just 1 significant strike absorbed.
The Burns fight changed that. Burns even knocked down Chimaev. But, Chimaev, ever so resilient, kept his pace high through the fight, and eventually won via a 29-28 decision.
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Khamzat Chimaev to fight Kevin Holland, instead of Nate Diaz at UFC 279
This week, however, Khamzat Chimaev’s starpower has declined, slightly. From trying to intimidate undisputed Twitter king Paulo Costa, to then starting a massive scuffle between the Holland, Diaz and his own camps; Chimaev has really fallen out of favour with the fans.
As the last nail in his coffin, Chimaev showed up to weigh in at 178.5 pounds, which is 7 pounds over the weight limit. This absolutely did not sit well with the fans, who very boo’d him when he came out to the ceremonial face-offs.
After coming in severely over the weight limit, the UFC needed to think fast and rejig the card. What they did was, to have Diaz fight Tony Ferguson, who both weighed in at 171 pounds; and have Chimaev take on Kevin Holland at catchweight. Finally, Li Jingliang faces Daniel Rodriguez at catchweight as well.
The result was Chimaev getting sincerely boo’d by the fans who came to watch the ceremonial face-offs. Undeterred, he squared up to Holland, and from footage that has now appeared on the promotion’s YouTube channel, cautioned him, saying, “Who’s gonna help you now?”
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This is most likely a jibe at Kevin Holland’s trash-talking attitude, and the scuffle that eventually first broke out between the two.
The two Welterweights fight tomorrow in Las Vegas. Many experts have the fight billed in Chimaev’s favour, citing Holland’s lack of wrestling ability. Who have you got in the fight? Let us know!
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Udayan Mukherjee
(382 Articles Published)