Khamzat Chimaev says one man has given a tougher fight than Gilbert Burns in the UFC.
By April 2022, ‘Borz’ had stopped 10 consecutive opponents to become one of MMA’s biggest stars.
Welterweight contender Gilbert Burns represented a massive step up in opposition when they squared off in a three-round bout at UFC 273.
‘Durinho’ gave Khamzat Chimaev all he could handle over 15 minutes and pushed him to the scorecards for the first time – but ultimately the Brazilian fan favorite fell to a razor-thin decision defeat at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
- READ MORE: Roman Dolidze explains why Khamzat Chimaev could be ‘in trouble’ against Dricus Du Plessis
Khamzat Chimaev names his toughest opponent
Chimaev has picked up two more big wins since his bloody three-round brawl with Burns.
Most recently, he caved Robert Whittaker’s teeth in with a submission at UFC 308 in October 2024.
However, it was one year prior when he had the toughest fight of his career against Kamaru Usman.
The former welterweight champion stepped in on late notice to replace Paulo Costa at UFC 294.
Chimaev dominated him early, but as the bout progressed, Usman gained a foothold in the fight.
Ultimately, Chimaev walked away with a majority decision victory that left fans wondering how Usman would’ve done in a five-round clash he had a full camp to prepare for.
According to the man himself, no one has given a tougher test than Usman did in October 2023.
“The hardest opponent of my career? I’d say Kamaru Usman,” Chimaev told AZAMAT CHEF.
“He defended well against my wrestling, his wrestling is pretty good.
“He defended well against grappling, not even wrestling, he didn’t give me his neck.
“I was trying to choke him for five minutes, but he defended very well.”
What’s next for Khamzat Chimaev?
Chimaev has been on the cusp of securing a UFC title shot for the past few years.
It seems almost certain that he will get the next crack at UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis.
‘DDP’ is fresh off a lopsided decision win against Sean Strickland, whom he rematched at UFC 312 last month.
Du Plessis revealed his game plan to beat Chimaev following his first defense of the 185lb UFC belt.
Now, it’s just a matter of waiting for UFC boss Dana White to announce a date and location for Chimaev’s title shot.