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Chael Sonnen has heaped praise on Khamzat Chimaev after seeing the undefeated phenom work out at the UFC Performance Institute.
During his appearance on The Fight with Teddy Atlas podcast, Sonnen revealed that the hype surrounding Chimaev is warranted. He also tipped 'Borz' to get the better of Gilbert Burns at UFC 273. Speaking about the Burns-Chimaev matchup, the former UFC fighter said:
"Okay, so that's gonna be the ninth of April, pay-per-view. I love that match. Right now, I am leaning towards Chimaev. But I'm drunk on the excitement of Chimaev. No fighter's got the wind on his back quite like Chimaev. There's just something to be said for momentum. I got to watch him work out for the first time last week. All the rumors are true."
Watch the latest edition of The Fight with Teddy Atlas podcast below:
Khamzat Chimaev currently boasts a professional record of 10-0 and has finished all of his opponents in his career so far. He is 4-0 in the UFC, with his most recent win coming against ranked welterweight contender Li Jingliang at UFC 267 last year. He currently sits at No.11 in the welterweight rankings.
Gilbert Burns is currently ranked No.2 in the UFC's 170 lbs division. The 35-year-old defeated Stephen Thompson in his most recent outing at UFC 264 last year. Burns will be looking to return to title contention with another high-profile win, over a year after welterweight champ Kamaru Usman stopped him at UFC 258.
Dana White has confirmed that Gibert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev will be a No.1 contender's fight
Dana White has confirmed that the clash between Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 273 will decide the next title challenger at 170 lbs. While talking to the media at the UFC 272 post-fight press conference, White revealed that it "makes sense" for the winner of that fight to challenge for the belt next.
Kamaru Usman, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, is reportedly set to defend his title against Leon Edwards in July. Colby Covington, who is currently ranked No.1 in the 170 lbs division, has already fought Usman twice, losing on both occasions. It remains to be seen how things will play out atop the welterweight division.
