Rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev has called for his next fight to be held on home soil in Sweden.
Appearing on Wednesday’s edition of “The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani”, Chimaev said he’d like to take a middleweight bout in Sweden this summer before potentially returning to welterweight, as he expects to be fighting on the UFC 294 card in Abu Dhabi in October.
“I want to fight in July or June, maybe they come to Sweden, Dana White said that. I want to fight somebody at 185 lbs, then we go 170 lbs in Abu Dhabi,” Chimaev told Helwani.
UFC president Dana White told reporters that the promotion is currently looking to return to Sweden during a media scrum this past Friday.
Read more: Kamaru Usman wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev in Sweden: “Would be a tremendous one”
Khamzat Chimaev on middleweight move: “I’m not a small human”
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Khamzat Chimaev clarified that while he’ll probably fight at middleweight next, he stil feels that he have one or two fights left in the welterweight division – for the right price.
“I can go down to 170 lbs as well, no problem, but pay a lot or just give me the belt,” he laughed. “A title fight or pay [more] money. For the same money, I can fight at 84 kg, for me it’s much easier. For me, it’s fun to fight at 84 kg because you don’t cut so much weight. The weigh cut is the thing I don’t like with MMA. Other than that, I have fun, I love it.”
“I’m not young anymore, you know? he added. “When I was younger i was smaller but now, every year as I get older … If you see my big brother, he’s like 120 kg, he’s big, almost two meters [tall]. I’m not a small human. My body is going up and I’m going up as well. I have one or two fights [left] at 170 lbs, I can make it, but not more.”
“I told them I can fight at 93 kg as well, so for me it doesn’t matter what weight class. Just that when I go to 170 lbs, I told them to give me time,” Chimaev said, adding that he needs at least two months notice to make the welterweight limit.
Proposes several opponents at both welterweight and middleweight
In the interview with Ariel Helwani, Khamzat Chimaev named several potential opponents at both welterweight and middleweight for his next couple of fights including Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, Belal Muhammad, Jorge Masvidal, Robert Whittaker, Marvin Vettori, Roman Dolidze, Paulo Costa and even former light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka.
After potentially fighting at middleweight in Sweden this summer, Chimaev proposed a welterweight title fight against the reigning champion Edwards in Abu Dhabi.
“In July, I gonna fight someone maybe here in Sweden at 185 lbs. Then October it’ll be a big show in Abu Dhabi. I don’t care about pay-per-view and these things. I don’t know how it works. Give me little bit money and just let me fight!”
“I’m here, let’s make money!”
Read more: Tensions are rising: Heated back and forth between Khamzat Chimaev and Colby Covington
Read more: Leon Edwards shoots down Colby Covington for not fighting Khamzat Chimaev: “Getting rewarded for not taking the fight”
