Khamzat Chimaev will fight Paulo Costa at UFC 294 on October 21. Photo: Jeff Bottari / Zuffa LLC via USA TODAY Sports
UFC star Khamzat Chimaev is pleased to see his former training partner Sean Strickland as the new middleweight champion. However, he can’t wait to face him in the octagon later on.
“He works hard, deserves it,” Chimaev recently said on his YouTube channel. “The guy is always in the gym. Now he’s got the belt. He has a good team, good coach. I have been there, training with that guy. They deserve that belt. He has been active, fights with everybody.”
With his undefeated record of 12-0, and six straight wins in the promotion, Chimaev thinks he’s just a fight away from getting a shot at the UFC gold.
“Now it’s my time,” Chimaev said. “Smash that guy (Costa), then it doesn’t matter if it will be Izzy or Strickland or somebody else, we coming for them. Strickland! Coming for him. If you stay there, man, I’m coming for you, too.”
On Saturday October 21, Khamzat Chimaev will take on Brazilian star Paulo Costa at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. As “Borz” will represent the United Arab Emirates for the first time, he will most likely have a massive support from his new hometown crowd.