Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager drops bold prediction for Dricus du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev: "100% I believe this"

Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, shared his thoughts on the upcoming UFC middleweight title fight between champion Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev.

Chimaev is known for his elite wrestling and intense pressure, while du Plessis has managed to outwork some of the greatest fighters in the division's history with his unorthodox style. This has led to a lot of fan interest in their upcoming fight.

During his recent appearance on the Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry podcast, Abdelaziz shared his insights on health issues faced by Chimaev in the past:

"Everybody knows I used to work with Khamzat. I love the guy. After Covid, it really messed him up. One of the craziest things I've ever seen, throwing up blood... As far as I know now, he's in Russia, he's in camp, he's focused. He's a superstar. He's one of the biggest stars in the UFC. When you have this kind of pressure, people sometimes don't know how to handle it."

He then predicted how the fight could play out, if Chimaev shows up in good health:

"It's hard to bet against a focused and healthy Khamzat. I think he can beat anyone on any given day. As talent, as technique, it's Khamzat. If you go to the third, fourth or fifth rounds, how this fight is going to go? I believe Khamzat can go there, do to him what he did to Robert Whittaker. 100% I believe this."

Check out Ali Abdelaziz's comments below:

Abdelaziz worked as Chimaev's manager during his early professional MMA career. However, their professional relationship seems to have ended as Chimaev is currently represented by Majdi Shammas.

The Chechen-born fighter will challenge du Plessis for the middleweight title in the main event of UFC 319, scheduled for Aug. 16 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

According to betting odds, Chimaev is a -175 favorite heading into the fight, while du Plessis is a +145 underdog.