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Chael Sonnen believes Khamzat Chimaev will soon become a top contender in the UFC welterweight division. The former middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger is also unsure if the Leon Edwards vs. Jorge Masvidal UFC 269 bout will serve as an eliminator to determine the next No.1 contender.
Speaking on his show Beyond the Fight, Sonnen claimed no welterweight was ready to challenge Chimaev right now:
"Khamzat Chimaev is about to come in and steal everything. If you think that's inappropriate, it's not. It's exactly where Chimaev was before he got sick with a pandemic that wasn't his fault. Chimaev, to remind you guys, was scheduled against Leon, who was the number three ranked fighter in the world... Chimaev had no ranking at all. You get some home cooking done, all of a sudden he's in the top-10. It was rumoured that was a number one contender's bout... I'm watching a lot of these 170-pounders that are pretty eager. They're calling guys out, but they all seem to find a reason to not go after Chimaev. In all fairness, the guy is three and O and never left the first round. Focus is going to Chimaev, that's my prediction," said Sonnen.
Watch Chael Sonnen speak about Khamzat Chimaev below:
UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will defend his belt against Colby Covington in a rematch at UFC 268 on November 6.
If Edwards defeats Masvidal, he is expected to challenge the winner of Usman vs. Covington next. However, if 'Gamebred' and 'The Nigerian Nightmare' win their respective contests, they might not fight again.
Khamzat Chimaev tested positive for COVID-19 last year and suffered from respiratory complications
Khamzat Chimaev was scheduled to face Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night 183 in December 2020. However, Chimaev tested positive for COVID-19 and the encounter was indefinitely postponed.
A few days later, Edwards was also affected by the coronavirus. The duo's clash was eventually rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 185 in January this year.
Khamzat Chimaev's COVID recovery took a hit and he was forced to pull out of the bout yet again. They were scheduled to square off for one final time at UFC Fight Night 187 in March.
However, 'Borz' was still suffering from lingering effects of the coronavirus. He announced his retirement from MMA due to lung complications. However, he has reconsidered his decision and is set to take on Li Jingliang at UFC 267 this month.
