Khamzat Chimaev calls Donald Cerrone “an easy fight”
Red-hot UFC welterweight prospect Khamzat Chimaev has a bold prediction for a potential fight with long-time contender Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
Speaking to Chael Sonnen in a video posted to YouTube, Chimaev opened up on a potential fight with Cerrone. While he admitted there’s been no discussions about this matchup, he’s confident he’d win it in the first or second round if it happened.
“I don’t know (if I have an opponent yet),” Chimaev said (via MMA News). “I train every day. No, nothing (about Cerrone).”
“I would be happy if they give me him. He has a good name, but for me it’s an easy fight, easy win. I think first or second round, I would finish him.”
Chimaev was the breakout star of the UFC’s four-even stint on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. The Chechen-Swede won two fights in a 10-day span, submitting John Phillips at middleweight and Rhys McKee by TKO at welterweight—both in the first round.
Since then, he’s been the talk of the MMA world, and has been taking full advantage of his time in the spotlight, calling out many top welterweights from Cerrone to Conor McGregor.
In a recent interview with TMZ Sports Chimaev also predicted a first-round finish over McGregor.
“I know I can beat every fighter in the top-10,” he said. “I don’t see somebody that can stop me. I am going to finish everybody. Conor McGregor, I’m going to finish him in the first round, brother. I promise you, brother, I’m going to finish him in the first round.”
While callouts of people like Cerrone and McGregor might seem premature for a fighter who is only 2-0 in the UFC, Chimaev has won the praise of many members of the MMA community, including UFC President Dana White.
In fact, the UFC boss believes Chimaev could already be ready for UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” White told ESPN when asked what’s next for Chimaev. “We were sitting in here this morning trying to figure out what we think is next. If you ask this kid, he’s ready to fight Usman. You know what I mean? Is he ready for Usman? The way he looks, who knows? Maybe.”
Who do you want to see Khamzat Chimaev fight next?
