There’s a saying that tough times create tough men, and Khamzat Chimaev is a perfect embodiment of that. Hailing from the war-torn country of Chechnya, Chimaev’s gritty background shaped him into one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. In his last fight, any lingering doubts about his dominance were erased when he submitted Robert Whittaker and broke his jaw in the process. Recently, ‘Bobby Knuckles’ opened up about the fight, shedding light on the brutal encounter.
Whittaker recently talked about his fight with Chimaev at UFC 308 in 2024, where he suffered a brutal first-round submission loss. Fans saw Chimaev’s wrestling was on another level, finishing Whittaker in the very first round. It was the first time since UFC 170 in 2014 that Whittaker didn’t make it out of the opening round. Consequently, Whittaker didn’t hold back in giving Chimaev props for his wrestling game.
He said, “Within seconds of the fight starting, I felt real comfortable standing with him. Like, real comfortable, but then the dude drops to like a millimeter – how do you stop that takedown, guy? And understandably, it’s like, we did a lot of wrestling, we did a lot of stuff, we did a lot of wall work.”
Robert Whittaker praises Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling skills:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 26, 2024
“Within a second of the fight starting, I felt REAL comfortable standing with him…
But then the dude drops… how do you stop that takedown?” 😭
🎥 @MMArcadePodcast #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/JgqeR1CrP0
Whittaker pointed out how challenging it is to replicate Chimaev’s takedowns and commitment. He praised Chimaev for knowing his strengths and using them flawlessly. According to Whittaker, Chimaev plays to his strengths perfectly and is willing to risk everything to execute his game plan. His focus and dedication make him a force in the octagon that even left him injured after the fight.
Khamzat Chimaev Drops Big Update on Potential UFC 312 Fight With Dricus Du Plessis
The current middleweight champ has openly said he would rather fight Chimaev next than Sean Strickland, but the UFC hasn’t made a decision yet. Notably, Du Plessis had planned to defend his title at UFC 312 in February, but those plans seem to have changed. As Chimaev confirmed, he’ll be at UFC 312 for meet-and-greets and will be focusing on recovery.
He said, “Right now, there haven’t been any offers, so I’m planning to go there (UFC 312). I already have a contract to have a couple of meetings there. I need to go there according to the contract and do some work, meet with fans there, talk and communicate.”
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MMA stories via Google! Follow Us
After his dominant win over Whittaker, Chimaev’s next move has everyone talking. Fans are eager to see how he’ll return and whether he’ll earn a title shot. With his momentum building, it’s clear that all eyes are on him, and it’ll be exciting to watch if he can secure that big title opportunity next.