“Don’t need towel anymore,” After middleweight move, Khamzat Chimaev hilariously recalls infamous ‘Towel gate’ moment in welterweight career

UFC fighters Khamzat Chimaev and Daniel Cormier relate to each other while discussing their use of a towel during weigh ins.

“Don’t need towel anymore,” After middleweight move, Khamzat Chimaev hilariously recalls infamous ‘Towel gate’ moment in welterweight career

Khamzat Chimaev (Image credit- The Bleacher Report)

Ahead of UFC 294, Khamzat Chimaev in an interview with Daniel Cormier joked about his troubles with making weight in the welterweight division. Chimaev gained significant attention in 2020 for his impressive performances in the UFC, earning him a reputation as a rising star in the sport. Unfortunately, Chimaev has struggled to make weight in the past. In fact, his last scheduled fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 279 was canceled due to his failure to meet the required weight, coming in 7.5 pounds overweight.

Irrespective of that fact, his dedication, work ethic, and natural talent have positioned him as a rising star in the MMA world. During the interview with former heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, both fighters shared a similar experience. Subsequently, Cormier asked Chimaev about his weight and his physical condition, and Chimaev hilariously stated, “I don’t need towel anymore.”

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Both fighters reflected on their controversial and highly debated use of a towel during their weigh-in. The use of a towel during weigh-ins is a common practice in combat sports to help fighters make weight by temporarily reducing their body weight. As such, Cormier had to make use of the towel during his weigh-in for UFC 210.

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Subsequently, Chimaev used the same method during his weigh-in for 279. Both instances were controversial because the fighters rested their hands on the towel, which decreased their weight slightly. Furthermore, years later, Cormier admitted that he cheated by resting his hands on the towel.

RELATED:  Khamzat Chimaev’s teammate foresees ‘superhuman’ athletes emerging in the promotion after USADA exits octagon

Khamzat Chimaev’s upcoming fight at UFC 294

Chimaev is set to compete in the main event of the UFC 294 event, which is expected to be the most significant of his professional career. Kamaru Usman, a former UFC Welterweight Champion, is the opponent that Chimaev will be facing.

Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev (image credit- The Mirror)

This is not a fight that the undefeated Chechen had in mind, as he had initially planned to face Paulo Costa. However, Costa was forced to withdraw from the fight after sustaining post-operative injuries to his left elbow. Hence, Costa has been replaced by Usman. The two will fight for the opportunity for a middleweight title shot against Sean Strickland.

When asked about his prediction for the bout with Usman, Chimaev, who is often confident that he can beat any opponent he meets, showed a different side. As such, Chimaev stated that he wants to refrain from making any predictions before the fight and will instead prove himself.

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