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In 2021, Khamzat Chimaev proved he was more than just a hype train, rebounding from a tough spell away from the octagon with a dominant win at UFC 267. His record is now a perfect 10-0, and he looks set to terrorize the rest of the UFC's welterweight division.
Chimaev has hardly been touched during his four UFC bouts thus far, making it tough to envision him suffering a loss any time soon. Most expected Chimaev's bout with Li Jingliang to be his first tough fight in the octagon but that proved to be far from the case.
While Chimaev has now broken into the UFC's rankings at No.11, some could still argue that he is yet to face the true elite of the UFC's welterweight division.
That looks set to change very soon as one can only imagine Chimaev will be given a much tougher test next time out, given the manner of his win at UFC 267. While he may be outside the division's top 10, his next opponent will surely not be.
Here are five match-ups that could put Chimaev's winning streak in danger:
#5. Sean Brady
Sean Brady and Khamzat Chimaev are the only two ranked fighters in the UFC welterweight division who still have undefeated professional records. On top of this, Brady is ranked higher and has five more wins with a record of 15-0.
Brady has elite grappling skills that might just be able to rival those we have seen from Chimaev. Brady showed this off in his recent bout with Michael Chiesa, a win made even more impressive given that he had struggled with some injuries prior to that fight.
With that being said, Chimaev would be a significantly bigger man in this potential fight. Chimaev is five inches taller and has a longer reach by three inches too.
While you would imagine Chimaev would be the favorite in a potential fight with Brady, given Brady is yet to suffer a single loss, perhaps he would once again find a way to win.
#4. Vicente Luque
Vicente Luque may not nearly have the name value of Khamzat Chimaev but he remains a prominent contender in the division. While his potential has been apparent for some time, it seems as though Luque may have now put it all together during his current four-fight winning streak.
Luque has delivered impressive first-round finishes over big names like Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa in his last two outings. On top of that, Luque has proven his ability to both knockout and submit opponents.
The Brazilian is also very muscular for the weight class, which may help him defend against the other-worldly strength of Chimaev. If Luque can avoid being swarmed, his experience may allow him to exploit openings in Chimaev's game.
#3. Leon Edwards
Leon Edwards is on a similar undefeated streak to Khamzat Chimaev, with neither man having lost in their past ten fights. On top of that, Edwards has achieved the feat against a much higher level of opposition.
A potential issue with this one would be Edwards' size, as Chimaev would be the much larger man in the cage. If Edwards is able to stay at a distance, he could be able to pick apart 'Borz' from range. While Chimaev has a greater reach, Edwards is a cleaner striker, and is a master of range.
Additionally, Chimaev proved at UFC 267 that he could have a tough time making weight.
When you also consider he has never seen a fight go into the third round, it seems like in a five-round fight between the pair, Edwards could possibly tire out Chimaev for the later rounds.
Edwards has great cardio, as shown by the fact three of his last five fights have gone the full 25 minutes.
#2. Colby Covington
Colby Covington has teased a bout with Khamzat Chimaev following his narrow loss to Kamaru Usman at UFC 268. Covington has proven himself to be a world-class fighter and could easily become Chimaev's toughest opponent to date.
Covington's strengths are undoubtedly his wrestling and ridiculous cardio. While Chimaev also seems to be a very talented grappler, we are yet to see him go toe-to-toe with someone on the level of 'Chaos'.
Additionally, you would imagine that if the fight were to go into a third, fourth, or fifth round, Covington would be better prepared. Each of Covington's last five bouts has all gone into the fifth round. He has consistently shown his ability to grind away late.
#1. Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman vs. Khamzat Chimaev would be a blockbuster of a fight. A potential match-up next year may not be outside the realm of possibility either. While Usman will likely face Leon Edwards next, Chimaev could conceivably be the next fight after that.
Usman has exceptional wrestling, which might be enough to match that of Chimaev. One would also assume that Usman is the better striker considering his knockouts of Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal.
Given Usman has established himself as the clear number one guy in the welterweight division, there is simply no man more likely to hand Khamzat Chimaev the first loss of his career.
