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Khamzat Chimaev just scored the biggest victory of his career at UFC 294, defeating Kamaru Usman in lopsided fashion. The bout was a much-talked-about clash, dating back to Usman's days as the welterweight champion, as many wondered whether Chimaev was the future champion he was billed as.
He thoroughly outwrestled Kamaru Usman in a manner never seen before. Neither Colby Covington nor Leon Edwards managed to find much success against him on the mat.
However, Khamzat Chimaev managed to score numerous takedowns against a fighter who previously held the most impressive takedown defense ratio in the UFC. After defeating Usman, Chimaev stunned the world with his post-fight interview:
"Guys, you know what's happening in the world, right now. I wasn't happy in the cage. Fight this week or see the kids dying. It doesn't matter wherever in the world, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, USA. Doesn’t matter. When kids die, it's hard guys. I love the kids."
It was an emotional speech by Khamzat Chimaev, as he touched on the ongoing crisis between Israel and Palestine, drawing it with several positive reactions.
"Class act"
Another fan expressed how difficult peace would be to achieve:
"He’s right. Wish it was that easy"
The praise for his character was widespread, as another comment read:
"W Khamzat"
Which was followed by another comment recognizing how genuine Khamzat Chimaev can be:
"He is a decent guy when doesn’t talk about smashing faces"
Another fan praised him for the beauty of his speech:
"This was beautiful to watch"
The positive sentiment was again echoed:
"Lets gooo"
The speech received further praise:
"The best words"
One fan even described it in the following terms:
"Bless."
It even touched the hearts of some fans:
"Touched my heart once again."
Another fan simply expressed their respect:
"Respect"
A collage of fan reactions can be seen below:
Whether Chimaev will face Strickland next for the middleweight title as promised, however, remains to be seen. Given his struggles with traveling to the USA, how the UFC navigates that issue will determine how soon he'll fight again next.
