Khamzat Chimaev showed enormous respect to Robert Whittaker in the build-up to their fight, which has left another UFC star annoyed he wasn’t treated the same way.
On Saturday night, ‘Borz’ destroyed ‘Bobby Knuckles’, ragdolling the Australian en route to securing a first round submission.
Gilbert Burns slams Khamzat Chimaev
In front of an adoring crowd at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Khamzat Chimaev produced the performance of his career.
Successfully dealing with the weight of expectation on his shoulders, the Swede locked in a submission so tight, it left Robert Whittaker with a broken jaw.
The victory cemented Chimaev’s place as very much the real deal, with a huge portion of the MMA community now convinced he’s the best middleweight on the planet.
And he did it all with a smile on his face, with nothing but positive things to say about ‘The Reaper’ in his post-fight interview.
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However, Gilbert Burns doesn’t think he was treated in the same manner.
During an episode of Show Me the Money Podcast, Matty Betss insisted that Chimaev was kind to Whittaker because the Aussie is a ‘nice guy’.
Puzzled by the statement, Burns replied: “I’m a nice guy, too. Are you saying I’m not a nice guy?”
The former title contender then opened up about his experience with the renowned grappler, claiming: “He was chest out all the time, looking at me, sizing me down.”
This prompted Renato Moicano to ask his countryman why he thought that was.
The Brazilian explained: “I just think he tried to be ‘That guy’, and it didn’t work. And I do think a lot of people were doubting him, after my fight and the fight with Kamaru Usman.
“People were destroying him online, saying, ‘He’s not this, he’s not that’. He was kind of like, do you know what? I’ll stay relaxed in this fight’. And I think he’s changed so much too.”
Khamzat Chimaev calls out surprising star for UFC superfight
In the aftermath of his tremendous showing in the Middle East, the world is desperate to see Chimaev fight for gold.
With Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland likely to go to war once more in an eagerly-anticipated rematch, Borz is stood in the wings, waiting for the winner.
However, middleweight isn’t the only division he’s interested in competing in.
Following UFC 308, Chimaev called out an MMA legend for a historic collision.
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