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Belal Muhammad believes he saw mistakes in Khamzat Chimaev's fight strategy during the UFC 273 bout against Gilbert Burns.
Although impressed by Khamzat Chimaev's physical durability and toughness, Belal Muhammad noticed some flaws in his technique. Their three-round barnburner, which consisted of non-stop action, saw 'Borz' come out victorious with a unanimous decision. He outperformed 'Durinho', but not without taking some heavy shots. The fight left many questioning whether the hype train following Chimaev was well-deserved or if it came too soon.
In a recent episode of Food Truck Diaries w/ Brendan Schaub, Muhammad said:
"I saw weaknesses in him. Obviously people are like, 'Oh man, he's not as good as we thought he was.' But I'm like, 'yo, he showed that he had the chin, he showed that he got power,' and it's like, you're fighting Gilbert Burns."
Being a former title challenger, Burns is one of the strongest contenders in the welterweight division. Chimaev may have won the fight but has potentially displayed more of his weaknesses than strengths. Future opponents who hold the top spots in the division may have gained insight into how to defeat him. Muhammad believes that with a solid game plan and a clear strategy, Chimaev might have a chance against tougher opponents such as himself or Colby Covington.
Muhammad added:
"When you get to the top five, if you're not fighting with a strategy, you're gonna lose to the good guys."
Chimaev has proven to have great strength, and if he goes back to the drawing board to see where he can improve, he could upset the division more than he already has by jumping several spots up after defeating Burns.
Watch the discussion between Muhammad and Schaub about in the video below:
Who is next for Khamzat Chimaev?
After defeating Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 and becoming the number three ranked welterweight in the UFC, there are bound to be many more performances incoming from Khamzat Chimaev. Their fight is undoubtedly one of the most notable fights of the year thus far. And with all the hype already surrounding 'Borz', it is only a matter of time before fans see him step inside the octagon again.
Chimaev is constantly looking for his next opponent and shows no fear of fighting the best. Kamaru Usman, Israel Adesanya, Nate Diaz, and Conor McGregor are just a few names he has called out in recent months.
A few have dismissed him, but Chimaev has shown little interest in backing down. Whoever his next opponent is, the undefeated Chechen native will try to better his 11-0 record against the fiercest competition the welterweight division has to offer.
