Khamzat Chimaev's skills dismissed in comparison to Islam Makhachev's and Khabib Nurmagomedov's by ex-UFC veteran

A former UFC fighter recently compared Khamzat Chimaev to Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov in terms of skill. The individual highlighted Chimaev's recent octagon appearances, claiming that the 31-year-old was nowhere near Makhachev and Nurmagomedov's ability in the cage.

Although Chimaev is renowned for his aggressiveness, he has previously been observed slowing down in the later rounds of his bouts. However, Makhachev and Nurmagomedov are opposite in nature. They remained resilient throughout their fights.

In a recent episode of the We Want Picks podcast, ex-UFC fighter Josh Thomson expressed his thoughts on Chimaev's wrestling prowess in comparison to Makhachev and Nurmagomedov, saying:

''My thing is, we've seen where Gilbert Burns is at now. Kevin Holland went through more slump after he lost to him [and] then he fights Kamaru Usman on one week's notice coming up in weight from a 70 to 85, struggled, lost the third round. Robert Whittaker, very fast fight but because of injury already...so is he [Chimaev] as good as we think he is? I've said this for the longest time, the sample size is not big enough for me.''

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Thomson continued:

''Are we giving him the Khabib credit? No one is like Khabib, nobody is like Islam. Khabib didn't get tired...is he [Chimaev] as good as people think or are we getting a fraud check here soon with DDP [Dricus du Plessis].''

Check out Josh Thomson's comments below (3:34):

Despite his undefeated record of 14-0, Chimaev's previous matchups against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman have raised concerns about 'Borz's' cardio. The 31-year-old is set to face his toughest opponent yet in Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 on Aug. 16, where he will challenge for the middleweight title.

When John McCarthy spoke about Khamzat Chimaev's cardio

Khamzat Chimaev's cardio has become a topic of discussion among MMA fans and pundits alike.

In an episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast last month, legendary MMA referee John McCarthy claimed that the COVID pandemic had a significant impact on Chimaev's cardio, saying:

''I've seen him, he never went past the second round but I've seen him in the third round in the UFC and it's not his fault but whatever happened to him with COVID...it affected him greatly...he's had issues with his ability to maintain a cardiovascular base, he tends to just burn out...he's having a problem with the recovery, he's not recovering the way he used to and I don't blame him.''

Check out John McCarthy's comments below (1:06:04):

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena