Kamaru Usman thinks Khamzat Chimaev likely struggles to make 185 pounds.
The UFC middleweight champion continues to call out light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira despite not having defended his belt once. Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) claimed the 185-pound title with a dominant performance against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319.
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Usman, who took Chimaev to a majority decision on short notice at UFC 294, sees Chimaev’s insistence in going after Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) as a sign.
“For Khamzat Chimaev to continue to call him out, I think Khamzat potentially has outgrown the weight class again to where now he’s like, ‘Let me go to a new division where I can make the weight and I can capture that,'” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “There’s all types of rumors and things coming out saying he’s 230 pounds, 225, whatever. Khamzat is a big guy. Khamzat has always been a big guy. The fact that Khamzat was making 170 is just as ridiculous as Anthony Johnson when he was making 170.
“But Anthony Johnson, remember, was making that, moved up, fought at ’85 I think maybe one time, and I think even missed weight there after moving up, then settled at 205 pounds. So, I think Khamzat Chimaev might potentially be in that same ballpark which is potentially why he’s asking for ‘Poatan.’ And if that’s the case, I understand it. Now it makes sense. If you’ve outgrown the weight class, it makes sense. Why kill myself to get down there when I just can’t make the weight anymore.”
Chimaev was open in saying that he’d rather not defend his belt against top contender Nassourdine Imavov, who is a fellow Russian fighter.
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“And if I go up there and I’m able to get that title, guess what? That opens the door for another Russian in Nassourdine Imavov to get that middleweight title or potentially fight for that title,” Usman said. “So hey, it might be chess pieces being played here.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Kamaru Usman theorizes why Khamzat Chimaev insists on Alex Pereira
