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Despite seemingly announcing his retirement at the start of this month, recent reports now suggest that Khamzat Chimaev is planning to return to the UFC later in 2021.
Khamzat Chimaev was due to fight Leon Edwards before suffering badly from COVID-19. But when he returns to the UFC, who should be his opponent?
Due to question marks around his physical health, it seems doubtful that the UFC would want to match him again with Edwards, who is a proven top-five talent at 170lbs.
However, thanks to the UFC Welterweight division's depth, there are almost countless numbers of potential foes out there for the Chechnyan.
Here are five potential opponents for Khamzat Chimaev upon his return to the UFC.
#1 Neil Magny (UFC record: 17-7)
Currently ranked at #9 in the UFC’s Welterweight rankings, Neil Magny would undoubtedly offer Khamzat Chimaev a challenge, particularly after the Chechnyan’s battle with COVID-19.
One of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC’s Welterweight division, Magny has beaten the likes of Li Jingliang, Carlos Condit, and Robbie Lawler during his time with the promotion.
Once seen as more of a grappler, Magny now uses a nasty striking game that largely relies on his freakish 80” reach. This gives him a 5” advantage in a potential fight with Chimaev.
However, the TUF 16 veteran’s losses to powerful fighters like Michael Chiesa and Santiago Ponzinibbio would suggest that Chimaev – assuming he’s healthy – might be slightly favored in this fight.
Given the two have already begun to snipe at each other on Twitter, this fight could definitely make sense if Chimaev is healthy enough.
In fact, it’d probably be the most challenging match that the UFC might want to offer ‘Borz’ right now.
#2 Carlos Condit (UFC record: 9-9)
Former interim UFC Welterweight champion Carlos Condit has fallen on hard times in recent years. However, a slight resurgence in form has put The Natural Born Killer on an unlikely two-fight winning streak.
That means that Condit will now likely be used as a high-level gatekeeper for the UFC’s Welterweight division.
With that in mind, the UFC may well be tempted to match him with Khamzat Chimaev upon the Chechnyan’s return.
36-year-old Condit is currently unranked and wouldn’t offer the instant rankings boost that a win over Leon Edwards would’ve done. But he’d still be considered the toughest opponent that Chimaev has ever faced, and would offer a pretty huge “name” win too.
More to the point, Condit’s general career slide means that he’s no longer as threatening as he once was. And with a questionable wrestling game, he could also make for a nice stylistic match for Chimaev, too.
The UFC has always loved to make fights between high-end prospects and veteran gatekeepers. And so a Condit vs. Chimaev fight would definitely make sense to them.
#3 Robbie Lawler (UFC record: 13-9)
Last seen in a disappointing loss to Neil Magny in August 2020, Robbie Lawler is likely reaching towards the end of his storied UFC career.
The former UFC Welterweight champion hasn’t won a fight in the Octagon since 2017, and is currently on a four-fight losing streak. However, like Carlos Condit, he still offers the name value that could make him a decent opponent for Khamzat Chimaev.
In a lot of respects, Ruthless Robbie would be a dangerous foe for a post-COVID-19 Chimaev to take on. After all, he still offers insane punching power and a great deal of toughness, too.
However, Lawler has looked more gunshy than ever before in his recent fights. And with years of wear and tear behind him, it’s pretty clear that his prime in the UFC is long gone.
But while Chimaev would probably be confident of winning this fight, it’s the kind of fare that the UFC could easily main event a Fight Night card with.
Again, a win over Lawler wouldn’t mean as much as a win over Leon Edwards, but it’d definitely be a worthy name on Chimaev’s ledger this early in his career.
#4 Gunnar Nelson (UFC record: 8-5)
Like Khamzat Chimaev, Gunnar Nelson was once considered one of the hottest prospects in the UFC’s Welterweight division.
The Icelandic fighter debuted in the octagon in 2012 with a stellar reputation. A well-decorated grappler, Gunni also deployed an unorthodox striking style reminiscent of former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.
Nelson put together a record of 7-2 in his early UFC days, but has fallen on hard times since suffering a KO at the hands of Santiago Ponzinibbio in 2017.
Since then, he’s gone 1-2, and hasn’t fought since a disappointing loss to Gilbert Burns in 2019.
Why would he make a good opponent for Chimaev? Firstly, Nelson is a smaller Welterweight, meaning he’s unlikely to be able to overpower Borz even if he isn’t at full power following his bout of COVID-19.
And while Gunni is a dangerous finisher in all areas, the lack of explosive athleticism that’s kept him from reaching the top of the UFC would also make him less of a threat to Chimaev.
This fight would still be a step up for Chimaev. Nelson is a far better fighter than the likes of Rhys McKee and Gerald Meerschaert. However, it sounds like a winnable one too, and so it’d be potentially worth booking.
#5 Warlley Alves (UFC record: 8-4)
Another former prospect who’s fallen on hard times, Warlley Alves was once considered one of the most dangerous Welterweights in the UFC.
In fact, he was the only fighter to defeat Colby Covington before Chaos meeting Kamaru Usman at UFC 245.
However, the winner of TUF Brazil 3 has never quite been able to reach the top of the UFC. That’s because he still has many holes in his game. He’s reckless, tends to run out of gas, and isn’t the most durable fighter out there.
But Alves did look excellent in his first fight of 2021, stopping Mounir Lazzez in a performance that won him a $50k bonus.
And with skills in all areas, he’d provide Khamzat Chimaev with a dangerous test, albeit one that you’d expect the Chechnyan to pass.
But with Chimaev coming off his nasty battle with COVID-19, a fighter slightly lower on the totem pole should be the kind of opponent the UFC should look to match him with.
And from that standpoint, Alves would be perfect.
