Reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who will make his second attempt to take the lightweight title from Islam Makhachev next weekend at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, shared his opinions on the bout between Hamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman, billed as the number two event of the numbered event.
“It’s an interesting fight,” said the Australian in another video posted on his Youtube channel. “We all know that Kamaru Usman has a very good takedown defense. Colby Covington had a lot of trouble moving Usman. On the contrary, Usman was transitioning him. So, we can expect this fight to be a stand-up fight.”
“Chimaev will be aggressive, while Usman is a versatile fighter and has wins by spectacular knockouts to his credit. Chimaev has a size advantage because he’s a little closer to middleweight, but Usman is also a tough guy and the more interesting their confrontation. Chimaev will be better prepared physically, because I don’t know how much Usman has been training. Besides, Chimaev is a fighter who sets a very high pace”
“Will Usman be able to stop his takedowns? I think yes. Will he be able to keep up with Chimaev’s pace? Because it’s three rounds and Chimaev won’t save his energy, he’ll come out to kill. I think Chimaev’s pace will be the most difficult aspect for Usman, taking the fight on short notice. If Usman gets gas tanked under Chimaev’s pressure, it’s going to be a tough night for him”
Earlier, UFC president, Dana White revealed that the winner of the fight between Khazat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman will get a middleweight title shot and will be the next opponent for current division champion Sean Strickland.
As a reminder, Volkanovski and Usman accepted fights on short notice, replacing the eliminated Charles Oliveira and Paulo Costa, respectively.
Source: https://fighttime.ru/news/item/32875-aleks-volkanovski-razobral-boj-khamzata-chimaeva-i-kamaru-usmana.html?rand=19907
