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Nigeria’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) duo of Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya have been hit with the same challenge in one swoop, as highly controversial newcomer, Khamzat Chimaev says he can take them both out, megasportsarena.com reports.
Chimaev (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) meets former title challenger, Gilbert Burns (20-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) on Saturday’s UFC 273 main card, in what is the biggest fight of his young career and an impressive win could see him emerge as No. 1 contender.
Heading into that bout, the fast-growing Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter is looking further ahead, as he stressed that his target is on Usman’s UFC welterweight belt and the middleweight title held by Adesanya.
Although he is only four fights into his UFC career, Chimaev says he has no doubt that he can handle Adesanya and Usman, who is currently recovering from hand surgery but is expected to face Leon Edwards in July.
Chimaev said he’s been ready to fight for the title from the get-go and trusts UFC president Dana White’s word that he’ll get the next title shot should he emerge victorious against Burns.
With Usman a training partner of Burns at Sanford MMA, Chimaev said in an interview with Daniel Cormier that he hopes to be in Burns’ corner so he can send the champ a message.
Chimaev added: “I hope Kamaru will be there in his (Burns) corner, you know? Like talking, help him for training camp and some sh*it.
“I hope he will be there. So when I knock (Burns) out, I’m gonna go to (Usman), ‘Jump in, you are next.’ So I can beat them both, same night
“I can take that belt today. Just send me location where is Usman, where is Israel. I’m gonna go and smash them both.
“Usman almost handicapped, brother. His knees doesn’t work, his back hurts, his arm hurts, operation everywhere. The guy is too old, and he’s too slow.
“They wanna find a way to make money and go away from my way. Israel, I think he will fight me. I don’t think the guy is scared.
“That guy is gonna fight with me, and I will fight the guy, as well. But this is not my level, that guy.
“He gives his back to this guy (Whittaker) who never did wrestling in UFC, never took somebody down.
“I don’t know what the UFC is gonna do. I’m ready. I said it from my first fight: I come here to take my belt. I’m still saying that after my fights.”
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