Up-and-coming star Khamzat Chimaev may fight Damien Maia during the UFC’s next visit to Fight Island, Abu Dhabi according to Dana White.
“We’re working on a fight for him here that’s still being worked,” White told the media on Friday. “We’re talking about him and Demian Maia on ‘Fight Island.’”
The Swedish fighter put himself on the UFC map during the UFC’s last visit to the island when he not only made his debut with a a second round submission victory over John Phillips, but then made history by picking up another victory just 10 days later with a first round TKO stoppage against Rhys McKee.
According to White, Chimaev may be set to repeat that feat again if there current plans come to fruition.
“I think he gets here this weekend,” White said. “…He’ll fight here and he’ll fight on ‘Fight Island.’ This guy wants to (fight). I love that mentality.”
The current word is that Chimaev may be lined up against Gerald Meerschaert first in Las Vegas before the Maia fight on Fight Island.
Meerschaert is a solid veteran, so that’s not a fight Chimaev can afford to overlook, though he has struggled to find consistency during his UFC run to date and has only won two of last six fights in the Octagon, including suffering a 74 second TKO loss to Ian Heinisch last time out.
As for Maia, the 42-year-old is at the very tail-end of his career and coming off a TKO loss to Gilbert Burns last time out, but with his legendary BJJ skills he’s still a handful for anybody on the mat, as he proved last year when he submitted another highly regarded wrestler, Ben Askren.
