UFC 319: Khamzat Chimaev open workout interview
Khamzat Chimaev talks to MMA Junkie and reporters at his UFC 319 open workout ahead of his middleweight title fight vs. Dricus Du Plessis.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Khamzat Chimaev isn’t too concerned with how UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis looks while fighting inside the cage.
While many have found Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) to have an awkward style, Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) knows how effective it can be. After all, it led him to the peak of the UFC’s 185-pound division. Chimaev will get his opportunity to see how different his style first hand when they clash inside the cage in the main event of UFC 319 in Chicago.
“Everyone says he has a weird style, very weird – that’s MMA, MMA style,” Chimaev told reporters at a media day. “I don’t think he’s some crazy, weird (fighter), but he does his job. He does good and he’s a good fighter. I am better.”
Chimaev has proven to be one of the biggest problems in the division, but he, too, is not without criticism. If a fight makes it out of the first round, where Chimaev has finished five of his eight bouts, questions about his cardio have risen due to his performances in decision wins against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. It’s an issue that Chimaev and team have focused on leading into his first shot at UFC gold by bringing in a new strength and conditioning coach. His head coach, Joakim Karlsson, said Chimaev’s cardio is on a different level now.
The early aggression from Chimaev could dictate the outcome of the fight. He intends to get Du Plessis to the canvas to find out how he will deal with his grappling game that led to finishes of former champ Robert Whittaker and contenders such as Kevin Holland and Li Jingliang.
“When someone laying down on the mats, it’s how weird you are on the ground,” Chimaev said. “Ground and pound, submissions – they don’t care about your style. We will see. We’ll be happy to see him in the cage. We will fight him striking, wrestling, grappling. I want to know how he can handle it.”
Karlsson not only said Chimaev’s cardio is vastly improved, but he has also taken training overall more seriously ahead of UFC 319. The fight promotion side of the game has been apparent on social media as well, as Chimaev and Du Plessis have gone back and forth trading barbs online. For Chimaev, it’s all business, and if it ruffles the champ’s feathers, then so be it.
“We’re just making money, having fun,” Chimaev said. “If he wants to take it personally, it’s up to him. For me, it’s just work. It makes people happy, it makes me happy. Like I said before, beating somebody makes me happy.”
