Chimaev aims for the throne of Topuria

Khamzat Chimaev just made a splash at UFC 319 when he knocked out Dricus Du Plessis to become the new middleweight champion.

Khamzat Chimaev just made a splash at UFC 319 when he knocked out Dricus Du Plessis to become the new middleweight champion.

With an overwhelming performance, “Gray Wolf” (nickname Khamzat Chimaev) did not hesitate to declare that he deserves to hold the No. 1 position on the pound-for-pound rankings, which currently belongs to Ilia Topuria.

In an interview with ESPN , Chimaev confidently asserted: “I don't care who makes the rankings. I have to be number 1.”

However, experts believe that Chimaev's ability to surpass established names such as Merab Dvalishvili, Islam Makhachev or Topuria himself is not high. In the short term, he is likely to only squeeze into the top 4, equal to or above Alexandre Pantoja.

Outside the ring, Chimaev's appeal is growing rapidly. Before the title fight, he reached 10 million Instagram followers, now approaching 11 million - on par with Makhachev (10.7 million) and Topuria (11.5 million). These numbers prove the huge influence of the new UFC champion.

Chimaev's middleweight dominance is almost certain

However, unlike Chimaev's confidence, the pound-for-pound rankings are voted on by international sports reporters, not the UFC. This makes the possibility of him immediately rising to the top very low, not even certain to surpass Pantoja - a flyweight boxer who has successfully defended his belt four times.

Still, Chimaev’s prospects of dominating the middleweight division are all but certain. With his renowned grappling background, he has rendered a powerful and experienced champion like Du Plessis powerless. Many experts believe that opponents who can defeat Chimaev are virtually non-existent.

The most plausible scenario is that Chimaev defends his belt a few more times, then moves up to light heavyweight to dream of a “double,” or even returns to welterweight – where he was once a top 5 contender. Whichever path he chooses, if he continues to rise strongly both in the cage and in the media, the day Chimaev steps up to the absolute top of the UFC is only a matter of time.

Now, he has made a giant leap forward on his journey to becoming a new icon of the world MMA.

Source: https://znews.vn/chimaev-nham-ngoi-vuong-cua-topuria-post1578109.html