Khamzat Chimaev will get the first title shot of his career when he goes up against Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight belt at UFC 319 on August 16th, but it seems that’s just the start of his plans to fill out his trophy cabinet.
In a new interview, Khamzat reveals that he still has intentions to drop back down to welterweight to challenge for that title, and he fancies his chances of seizing the light-heavyweight belt too.
“I work with the new coach, Coach [Joakim Karlsson],” Chimaev said. “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. I don’t know who is the champ there, this guy, Australian guy [Jack Della Maddalena]. 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.”
That all sounds good in theory, but given that health issues and injuries has resulted in just three fights in the past three years, for now the focus will need to be on ensuring the 31-year-old gets to the Octagon on good condition to fight in just over a week’s time in Chicago.
