Could Belal Muhammad hold his own against Khamzat Chimaev in a potential fight? Exploring the possibilities 

MMA fans can anticipate a showdown between Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad if the latter steps up to middleweight, as he has previoulsy indicated.

Chimaev is known for his dominant wrestling prowess, which adds a fear factor in the heart of his opponents. Meanwhile, Muhammad is a resilient fighter, who hasn't tasted defeat in his last 11 octagon outings. Given that the two have distinct approaches towards their opponents, it would be a fascinating clash.

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Khamzat Chimaev's wrestling style

Khamzat Chimaev remains undefeated, holding a professional record of 14-0. His main threats are his wrestling and grappling. Chimaev has been an expert at clinch and just destroying his opponents with double-leg takedowns throughout his career.

At the beginning of a bout, he puts pressure on his opponent right away in an attempt to make them uncomfortable, prompting them to back off. Then, Chimaev would aggressively approach to secure double-leg takedowns, which would land him in a good position to make a successful submission attempt.

This can be evidenced by his matchups against Kevin Holland and former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 279 and UFC 308 respectively. 'Borz' secured opening round submission wins against both Holland and Whittaker by his aggresive clinch and tight hold. Notably, he broke 'The Reaper's jaw in the process.

However, Chimaev's strategy has backfired in the past. Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman took advantage of the 30-year-old's low cardio, placing him in a difficult situation in each of these matches.

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How can Belal Muhammad defeat Khamzat Chimaev?

While Khamzat Chimaev takes an aggressive path, Belal Muhammad prefers to use his cardio prowess to perform throughout his fights. Muhammad primarily focuses on striking, although he combines grappling and striking with an emphasis on high volume and pressure.

In his last octagon at UFC 304, Muhammad displayed his all round abilities and dethroned Leon Edwards by securing a unanimous decision. The reigning welterweight champion, known for his toughness, has the ability to prevail if he is effective in his takedown defense in the early stages of a bout with Chimaev.

As aforementioned, Chimaev has faded in the later rounds, which Muhammad can take advantage of. The two have already gone back and forth on social media, suggesting a possible fight between them.

Chimaev is now expected to challenge Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title. Meanwhile, Muhammad is set to defend his 170 pound belt against Jack Della Maddalena on May 10 at UFC 315.