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Khamzat Chimaev has revealed how Conor McGregor's 13-second knockout of Jose Aldo at UFC 194 inspired him to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
McGregor won his first UFC championship with his victory over the Brazilian in 2015. Having had featherweight gold wrapped around his waist, he went on to become a two-division UFC titleholder a year later. He did so through a TKO victory over then-lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez.
Speaking to ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto ahead of UFC 267, Chimaev claimed that during a work night, he took a 15-minute break to watch the Aldo vs. McGregor main event. He said he was instantly inspired by the Irishman.
"I was watching his [McGregor's] fight. I was watching him fight Aldo. I was sitting in night and was working. I was taking rest for 15 minutes and watched his fight. I always look at that like if the guys make so many money like millions and this stuff, why I can't do it now. I'm a fighter, I'm a warrior and I have something special inside me. I had to find some way and take out this to show to the people."
Watch Khamzat Chimaev in conversation with Brett Okamoto below:
Conor McGregor (22-6) is currently out of action due to the broken leg he suffered while fighting Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. 'The Notorious' is expected to return to action sometime in 2022.
Khamzat Chimaev will return to the octagon after more than a year at UFC 267
Khamzat Chimaev (9-0) will square off against No.11-ranked welterweight contender Li Jingliang at UFC 267 later today. The event will go down inside Abu Dhabi's Etihad Arena.
Chimaev only made his UFC debut last year and immediately made an impact by racking up three finishes within the space of 66 days. After his knockout of Gerald Meerschaert last September, 'Borz' was scheduled to face No.3-ranked Leon Edwards.
However, both fighters tested positive for COVID-19 within a few days of each other. The bout was postponed twice before being canceled altogether.
During his struggle with the virus, Chimaev announced that he would retire from MMA due to severe setbacks in his recovery process. However, he took the decision back and will now feature on a stacked main card this weekend.
