UFC veteran Jorge Masvidal has targeted Khamzat Chimaev, one of the top prospects in the division. Recent remarks from Masvidal criticized Chimaev’s unprofessional approach and highlighted his inexperience as a middleweight.
He even stated that he does not believe Chimaev’s buildup and that he will be beaten by another prospect Shavkat Rakhmonov.
A potential matchup between Chimaev and Rakhmonov still has the MMA community buzzing, despite Chimaev’s stale response to Masvidal’s criticism. Both fighters have yet to lose in their professional careers and have proven themselves to be well-rounded in all aspects of the game.
Masvidal shuts down Khamzat Chimaev and his title aspirations: Can the UFC’s rising star prove the critics wrong?
Chimaev recently made headlines by stating that he believes he could take down middleweight champion Alex Pereira due to the Brazilian’s lack of grappling experience.
However, Masvidal was quick to shut down Chimaev’s claims by pointing out that he has yet to defeat a top-15 fighter and even missed weight by 8.5 pounds at UFC 279.
Despite the objection, Chimaev stays one of the UFC’s most promising prospects, and fans are looking forward to seeing how he performs in his next battle.
Meanwhile, Masvidal will come back in action next month in the co-main event of UFC 287, where he will encounter Gilbert Burns. Whether Chimaev and Rakhmonov face off in the Octagon remains to be seen, but it would undoubtedly be a highly anticipated rematch.
A fight between Chimaev and Rakhmonov would definitely be thrilling, as both have championship-level abilities. Nevertheless, Masvidal’s critiques have increased suspicions about Chimaev’s ability to compete at the highest level.
Chimaev’s Grappling Prowess Challenged by Masvidal: Can He Prove His Worth Against Top-Level Competition?
While Chimaev’s grappling talents are undeniably out of the world, Masvidal feels that contenders like Rakhmonov, who possesses both striking and wrestling capabilities, might illustrate a serious test to the young fighter. “If you find a man like that,” Masvidal said, “they can wrestle back with him and have hands.”
Eventually, only time will tell if Chimaev can continue his dominant run and take on the toughest competition the UFC has to offer. To truly establish his position as one of the sport’s best prospects, Chimaev will have to prove himself against the top-level competition after Masvidal openly questioned his abilities.
In addition to anticipating an encounter with Burns next month, Masvidal seems to be watching the other UFC welterweights and middleweights. It’s not at all unforeseen, then, that he’s not easily captivated by up-and-coming fighters given his expertise and hard-nosed approach.
It is possible that Chimaev if he is able to maintain his dominance, could just sway Masvidal’s opinion and win over both fans and skeptics alike.
