Khamzat’s coach talks short-notice change of opponent: ”He can interpret your actions”

After back-to-back title bout defeats to Leon ”Rocky” Edwards, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman returns to action to undefeated star Khamzat Chimaev on short notice.

Chimaev was scheduled to clash with Paulo Costa, but the latter was forced to pull out due to a medical issue.

In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Chimaev’s jiu-jitsu coach, Alan Nascimento, opened up on the change of opponents and how they approach a seasoned veteran like Usman.

“We already have the habit of working heavy in the wrestling department, so changing the fight to a wrestler makes it a bit easier to adapt, but it doesn’t mean the fight is going to be easier,” Nascimento said.

Read more: Bo Nickal can’t believe he’s not asked to fight Khamzat, claims UFC protects their star

Khamzat and Usman are fellow wrestlers

Both Chimaev and Usman are mainly known as highly touted wrestlers, who use their skills to dominate their opponents on the ground, but both have rather slick boxing skills as well.

“If you fight a fellow wrestler, he can interpret your actions because it happens because he has the same habit. The fight gets a bit more difficult even for Chimaev to be able to use what he has the most confidence in,” Nascimento said.

“But Chimaev reacted very naturally to all that. [Usman] was a champion for many years, he’s a top-5 fighter in the [welterweight] division and has fought all the best fighters. It’s hard to say there’s an easy path, but I don’t think there’s such thing as unbeatable human beings.”

The fight against Usman will be the first in more than 12 months for Chimaev, who last clashed with Kevin Holland in September 2022.

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