Khamzat Chimaev followed up his remarkable 10-day run on Fight Island with a brutal knockout in his first stateside UFC fight.
UFC middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev, as he started to gain a following amongst UFC fans, was initially labeled as a wrestler. But when he faced what at the time was the toughest test of his professional MMA career against Gerald Meerschaert, he passed the exam with flying colors and demonstrated his evolution.
Chimaev dropped jaws when he won two fights in 10 days in July 2020 to kick off his UFC tenure. He finished John Phillips by second-round submission before knocking out Rhys McKee 10 days later inside one round.
After making headlines on Fight Island, the UFC moved quickly to bring Chimaev stateside at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley in Sept. 2020. Chimaev earned a main card slot against Meerschaert, a talented grappler with vast experience inside the cage.
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Khamzat Chimaev needed 17 seconds to dismantle a middleweight vet
Chimaev and Meerschaert traded barbs ahead of fight night with Chimaev promising to make it look easy. The result was a 17-second bout with Meerschaert that proved that Chimaev possessed more than an elite ground game.
At the start of the fight, Chimaev quickly took control of the Octagon and pressured Meerschaert right away. Meerschaert was quickly forced against the fence as Chimaev pressed forward.
As Meerschaert attempted to circle out to his left and find an opening, Chimaev landed a massive straight right that collapsed Meerschaert to the canvas. Chimaev’s finishing method stunned the UFC broadcasters and the viewing audience who originally perceived Chimaev to only be a grappler.
Chimaev’s one-punch knockout earned him a post-fight performance bonus from UFC CEO Dana White. Despite three straight finishes at middleweight, Chimaev then moved back down to 170lbs, earning impressive wins over Li Jingliang and Gilbert Burns.
Khamzat Chimaev is now one of the most complete fighters on the UFC roster
Chimaev has since returned to the middleweight division, earning recent victories over Robert Whittaker and former UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman. Next for Chimaev is a likely booking against the Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 winner for the middleweight championship.
After some health-related issues outside of the Octagon, Chimaev appears to be realizing his vast potential inside of it. His most recent win over Whittaker, in particular, silenced any detractors of Chimaev’s quick ascent up the middleweight ladder.
As long as Chimaev stays on his current path, he has the opportunity to become an all-time great UFC middleweight. His 17-second finish of Meerschaert showcased the danger that he still presents to his opponents if they manage to stop his takedowns.
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