Khamzat Chimaev‘s coach gives Alex Pereira the benefit of the doubt for not addressing a potential fight.
UFC middleweight champion Chimaev (15-0Â MMA, 9-0 UFC) continues to campaign for a fight against light heavyweight champion Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), but “Poatan” has his own goals of moving up a division.
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Alan Finfou, Chimaev’s jiu-jitsu coach, doesn’t fault Pereira for wanting to chase history.
“If I look at the situation from Khamzat’s side, Khamzat vs. Pereira would be the fight that would sell the most, and Khamzat would be fighting for another belt,” Finfou told MMA Today. “For Khamzat, it’s plus, plus, plus. It’s great, and he’s moving up to another division, people can question, he can take off part of the pressure on his shoulders. He’s not the kind of guy who would come up with excuses in case things don’t go his way, but probably he would be fighting even more relaxed if he moved up.
“If I were Pereira, I would never accept that fight. Because let’s be honest: Khamzat would be the challenger. Pereira would have to defend. Pereira already has two belts and he has the opportunity now to accomplish something that nobody has ever done before in the history of the UFC – win a third belt in a third division. The same as it would be great for Khamzat to try a second belt, for Pereira it’s amazing to try the third. If I were Pereira, I would say, ‘Khamzat, Caio, I have a bigger goal: I go for the third belt.”
Pereira may just get his wish after UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been ruled out of action due to double eye surgery. With Aspinall now sidelined, UFC analysts like Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen think an interim title could be in play featuring Pereira and Ciryl Gane.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Khamzat Chimaev’s coach understands why Alex Pereira dismissing fight
