The build-up to UFC 319 was supposed to be straightforward. A blockbuster middleweight title clash between the champion Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. On paper, it’s the kind of fight that sells itself: an undefeated wrecking machine versus a champion who thrives in chaos.
Yet, here we are, with fight night looming on the horizon, and the biggest question isn’t about who wins. It’s about whether Chimaev even makes it to the cage.
As such, on a recent episode of ‘The Good Guy/Bad Guy’ show on YouTube, former ‘champ-champ’ Daniel Cormier revealed just how close fans came to losing Chimaev from the main event.
According to him, “We got excited because we finally heard from Khamzat. There were so many questions in regards to him even making this fight. Dude, I swear Chael, and I can say this now since we’re a week from the fight. Two months ago, I got a call saying Khamzat was going to be out. Who do you think should fight Dricus? Should it be the kid from France?”
His co-host and UFC veteran Chael Sonnen then provided Nassourdine Imavov’s name as Cormier continued by revealing, “Yep, Imavov, or should it be Borralho? And it wasn’t, it was always going to be Khamzat. He was going to make that walk.”
MMA: UFC 279-Chimaev vs Holland, Sep 10, 2022 Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Khamzat Chimaev red gloves fights Kevin Holland blue gloves during UFC 279 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports, 10.09.2022 20:50:06, 19026318, NPStrans, T-Mobile Arena, Holland, Kevin Holland, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJoexCamporealex 19026318
That’s where Sonnen jumped in to point out the UFC’s cautious approach. He then stated in the video, “Well, and not to mention, just for time frame, right after those people called you and wanted DC’s opinion on who should go in, they made Caio Borralho the backup fighter. I mean, they’re trying to cover this. They’re not 100% certain because Chimaev is such a loose cannon. ”
The truth is, UFC fans have been burned before. Khamzat Chimaev’s fight history is littered with cancellations and reshuffles. From multiple scrapped bouts with Leon Edwards due to COVID-19, to a missed weight disaster ahead of UFC 279 that forced a last-minute opponent change, to an unexplained illness that pulled him from a headliner against Robert Whittaker in 2024, reliability has never been his strongest selling point.
And that brings us back to the looming question: will ‘Borz’ finally break the cycle? If he makes it to the Octagon in Chicago, he’ll finally put the worries to rest. The stakes aren’t just about gold anymore. They’re also about trust. Yet, the Chechen warrior isn’t just planning on conquering the middleweight division; he wants to lay claim to a record no one in the UFC has been able to pull off so far!
Khamzat Chimaev reveals ‘triple champ’ plans even as doubts surround his upcoming title shot at UFC 319
Khamzat Chimaev isn’t thinking small. If “Borz” beats Dricus Du Plessis, he plans to chase titles in not one, but two more weight classes. That means becoming the first triple champion in UFC history!
In a recent interview, he stated, “I work with the new coach, Coach [Joakim Karlsson], We talk about going down again, back to my first fights [at] 170…He said he’ll give me a couple of months, and we’re gonna make it.”
But the vision doesn’t stop there as he continued by revealing, “I don’t know who is the champ there, this guy, Australian guy. Yeah, it would be a good fight for me [to] go down and fight with him. I could take the belt [at welterweight], and if I go up there is [Magomed] Ankalaev and Alex Pereira. They are fighting now, whoever’s winning, I can fight for that belt as well.”
Yet, the road towards his ambitions is anything but smooth. Chimaev must first survive ‘Stillknocks’, a man who thrives in messy, unpredictable fights. The South African has never been shy about his own appetite for gold, openly flirting with the idea of moving up in weight.
At one point, he seemed destined for a showdown with Alex Pereira at light heavyweight. That talk has cooled since Magomed Ankalaev claimed the title, but whispers about his middleweight future haven’t gone away completely.
As such, if Khamzat Chimaev makes it to fight night and walks out with the belt, the story instantly shifts from doubt to destiny. The questions about his reliability will fade, replaced by anticipation for his triple-champion quest. That’s the razor’s edge he’s standing on. In Chicago, it’s not just about proving he can beat Dricus Du Plessis. It’s about proving he can be counted on when it matters most. For a man chasing three crowns, step one is simply showing up!
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