Khamzat Chimaev Believes Kamaru Usman Won’t Be the Same After KO Defeat

Khamzat Chimaev can take another step closer to a title shot with a victory over Nate Diaz in the UFC 279 headliner on Saturday, but he’s willing to weigh his options if the promotion goes in a different direction.

After Leon Edwards upset of Kamaru Usman in the UFC 278 headliner, a decent possibility exists that an immediate trilogy — potentially in England — could be in store given Usman’s run of dominance prior to that defeat. If that turns out to be the case, Chimaev told ESPN that he could turn his attention to the middleweight division and the winner of the title fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira slated for UFC 281.

“If they want to do [the trilogy], for me no problem,” Chimaev said. “I’m gonna take some other fight, and we will see what’s happening. Maybe Israel Adesanya or the other guy, Pereira. Who wins that, maybe fight with them. I don’t know.”

Prior to UFC 278, Usman had a 15-bout winning streak in the Octagon and had entered GOAT discussions opposite welterweight legend Georges St. Pierre. He also entertained a transition to light heavyweight as well as a boxing match against Canelo Alvarez. Chimaev believes “The Nigerian Nightmare” may have lost his focus amid all the hype.

“It was a crazy fight, good fight,” Chimaev said. “I learned a lot of things about that fight. It was funny to watch. The guy was too much high up: ‘I’m gonna fight with Canelo,’ He wasn’t focused and he said, ‘I’m always focused,’ and a lot of things. ‘I want to make money.’ ... Leon comes and shot his head, dropped the guy.”

Chimaev also expressed a sentiment that hasn’t been uncommon in the MMA community, that Usman won’t be able to recover the unbeatable aura following such a devastating loss.

“I don’t think he’ll be the same guy again. In the mind. We’ve seen a lot of champions thinking, ‘Nobody can beat me,’ because he defend so many times, ‘Now I’m unbeatable,’ that kind of thing, and bam, somebody knock you out. Now you know you’re human, as well.”