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Daniel Cormier issued an interesting challenge to UFC fans who have turned on Khamzat Chimaev for missing weight at UFC 279.
Chimaev was greeted with boos as he missed weight, eventually forcing the UFC to reshuffle the main card. This followed the press conference being canceled due to a brawl involving Chimaev.
While discussing Khamzat Chimaev's weight-cutting journey on his podcast, 3 Rounds with DC, Daniel Cormier stated:
"Khamzat woke up on Friday morning at seven and a half over, eight pounds almost. It was known, so I don't know if he had to hydrate the night before. He said his doctor stopped him so he must've hydrated to wake up at that weight, but there's a question. Is he nine over going to bed to wake up at seven and a half? I know that you don't sleep whenever you cut that amount of weight because I didn't sleep at all. You're literally just sitting there dying, in your emotions of I can't do this, but the one thing that always makes you try is the embarassment of knowing that if you walk up there overweight, what are people going to think?"
Daniel Cormier continued by issuing a challenge to those criticizing Khamzat Chimaev, adding:
"Khamzat got everything that he deserves in terms of the vitriol from not only the fans but the media. It's sad because that is what that performance will be thought of when you look back when in reality, look what he did to Kevin Holland. It doesn't happen, he dominated him easily... I challenge you - lose some weight, do a weigh in, and then in the comments, tell me how the experience went because it is very hard."
Cormier's challenge is rather interesting, as he has asked those who have turned against Chimaev to enter the world of a UFC fighter and experience just how difficult weight cuts can be.
Watch Daniel Cormier's comments on Khamzat Chimaev's weight cut at 4:16 of the video below:
Daniel Cormier excited to see Khamzat Chimaev as the 'bad guy'
'Borz' put on yet another dominant performance at UFC 279, submitting Kevin Holland in the first round. However, the week leading up to the fight has likely cost him many fans. Daniel Cormier shared that he is excited to see the No.3-ranked welterweight as the 'bad guy'.
In regards to Khamzat Chimaev's new role as a villain, Cormier stated:
"Right now he's the bad guy and boy I love a bad guy, and I wish that he embraces this... Make him the bad guy, I think he likes it, and boy we all need a villain. The world does not work with all good guys. We need bad guys and Khamzat Chimaev is more than willing to play that."
In 2020, the former double champ shared his high expectations, as he believes that Chimaev has what it takes to become the fifth double champ in UFC history.
