Khamzat Chimaev is heading into UFC 308’s co-main event with a highly confident swagger. And he is firing jabs left and right. ‘Borz’ brings his perfect 13-0 record to Abu Dhabi, where he’ll face arguably the most accomplished opponent of his career. His latest verbal jab at this opponent, Robert Whittaker, was a beautifully simple yet cutting observation.
Whittaker, the former middleweight champion, has been a staple at the top of the division for years. However, according to Chimaev, ‘The Reaper’s’ experience with defeat might be more of a curse than a blessing.
“He [Whittaker]knows how to lose, we don’t know, so I’m ready for victory,” Chimaev said at UFC 308 media day.
The rising star didn’t stop there, either. When questioned about Robert Whittaker’s striking prowess, Khamzat Chimaev dismissed it with a kind of casual disrespect. His confidence stems from his wrestling success against former welterweight king Kamaru Usman, whom he claims he “dominated easy.“
But here is where Whittaker has the edge. Khamzat Chimaev has never gone five rounds in his professional career. Meanwhile, the Australian has been in multiple 25-minute fights. Moreover, the Chechen fighter’s cardio has been a big issue after his battle with Covid 19. Now, it remains to be seen whether the ‘Borz’s’ pressure would be enough to counter the experience of ‘The Reaper.’
Robert Whittaker Plans To Drag Out His Fight With Khamzat Chimaev For The Full 25 Minutes
Whittaker has a foolproof plan for his upcoming fight against the pressure machine Chiamev. The former middleweight champion plans to neutralize the Chechen fighter’s intense pressure style of fighting with one thing: sprinting away from him.
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Speaking at the UFC 308 media day in Abu Dhabi, Whittaker responded to Khamzat Chimaev’s brash statements. While ‘Borz’ proudly boasts about never tasting defeat, Whittaker views his own losses as fuel for the fire.
“I’ve prepared for the hardest fight of my life, to start extremely hard, like sprinting for the first 5 to 10 minutes, but also drag it out the five (rounds). I’m ready to sprint for 25 minutes if so, and I’m coming for war.”
The game plan Whittaker is laying out sounds absolutely exhausting, and that’s exactly the point. He is preparing for a fight that starts at full throttle and somehow maintains that pace for five rounds. He knows his strength lies in his elite cardio, which is the weakest link in Khamzat Chimaev’s arsenal. Fight fans will be anticipating whether Whittaker’s strategy will work. Will he use Chimaev’s greatest weapon, his relentless pressure, against him in this UFC 308 title eliminator bout?
Also Read: “Depressed After Scamming” – Fans React As Khamzat Chimaev Details His Long Battle With Depression
