Khamzat Chimaev beats anyone, any weight, in one-round fight

Anthony Smith thinks Khamzat Chimaev is unbeatable – if the combat stays within the first spherical.

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) faces Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) in a middleweight title eliminator which headlines UFC on ABC 6 on June 22 at Kingdom Enviornment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Chimaev remains to be undefeated, however hasn’t appeared as dominant as of late. He’s gotten off to good begins in latest wins over Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, however slowed down because the combat progressed. Smith says within the first 5 minutes of a combat, he’d take Chimaev over anybody.

“I’m an actual huge believer in Khamzat, I actually am,” Smith mentioned on his “Imagine You Me” podcast with Michael Bisping. “I feel the man’s unbelievable. But when we’re simply being crucial, first spherical. I feel Khamzat can beat anyone throughout any weight class, I don’t give a sh*t who it’s.

“Anyone on this planet, he can beat within the first spherical. We begin moving into the second, third, fourth, fifth – the Gilbert Burns combat is an ideal instance. If that combat goes one other two rounds, (he’d be in bother). … First spherical, monster.”

Nevertheless, Smith isn’t too certain of Chimaev’s possibilities in opposition to former champion Whittaker in what would be the first five-round combat of his profession.

“Whittaker received’t get drained, and that’s my sticking level,” Smith mentioned. “If he can do a number of huge harm early within the first spherical, second spherical, and form of compromise Whittaker early, then I feel he can cruise. If he paces himself early, now he’s not the Khamzat we’re used to. He’s not as efficient. So I don’t know. I hate to say it, however I lean Whittaker.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC on ABC 6.