Undefeated pro MMA fighter Khamzat Chimaev caused a storm in 2020 when he won (and dominated) three fights in just over two months. His last fight being against Li Jingliang, where Chimaev displayed his elite wrestling skills from the beginning and finished Jingliang with a RNC three minutes into the first round. There were just 66 days between Chimaev’s UFC debut and him sitting on three wins. That’s how you make a statement. However, his next fight will be against UFC veteran and BJJ black belt x3 world champion Gilbert Burns, which should really put Chimaev to the test.
Chimaev is a three-time Swedish National wrestling champion, who recently started training BJJ in the Gi a few years ago at Allstars Training Center in Stockholm, Sweden. Last year, his BJJ instructor Nascimento, a multiple-time BJJ world champion, felt it was time for Chimaev to be awarded his blue belt in BJJ.
“Alan knows how good Burns is, but he also knows what level I’m on”
Chimaev has a perfect 10-0 record in MMA. Six of those wins came via knockout and three came by way of submission, showing that he really is an all-round fighter. Chimaev revealed in a recent interview that his instructor Alan ‘Finfou’ Nascimento would promote him to purple belt if he was able to submit his next opponent – not realizing it would be Gilbert Burns. However, according to Chimaev, Nascimento has already defeated Burns three times in BJJ tournaments, so he feels confident.
Chimaev says: “My coach Alan has beaten Gilbert Burns three times at BJJ tournaments as far as I can remember.”
The interviewer then goes on to say: “So he (Alan Nascimento) must realize that Gilbert is a way better fighter than all the previous ones you have fought?”
To which Chimaev responds, “Yeah. I think Alan knows how good Burns is, but he also knows what level I am on.”
Welcome to the UFC Chimaev. This fight will be a real testament to his skill and talent, and will most probably be his toughest fight yet. When Dana White starts putting the prodigy’s against the veterans – it really puts people in their place. Dana labeled Chimaev as, “the best he’s ever seen” but the Chechen-born phenomenon will finally face one of his division’s killers this weekend. The fight will be taking place this weekend at UFC 273 on Sunday April 10th.
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