In a thrilling co-main event at UFC 294 this past Saturday, Khamzat Chimaev emerged victorious in a closely contested bout against the valiant Kamaru Usman, securing a points win.
Originally slated to face Paulo Costa in Abu Dhabi, Chimaev’s plans were abruptly altered when the Brazilian withdrew due to an elbow injury, leaving Usman to step in as a formidable replacement.
Usman, a former welterweight champion who held the title from 2018 to 2022, made a significant move up to the middleweight division for this short-notice showdown, pitting him against one of MMA’s most formidable rising stars.
Chimaev, aged 29, entered the Etihad Arena boasting an undefeated record of 12-0, featuring an impressive 11 finishes in both welterweight and middleweight contests. Consequently, Usman, aged 36, faced a formidable challenge in the Russian fighter, but he demonstrated his mettle and skill in a losing effort.
The fight kicked off with Chimaev displaying his anticipated speed and prowess, securing takedowns and maintaining control for the majority of the first round. Chimaev even came close to securing a standing rear-naked choke, only to be thwarted by a spectacular maneuver by Usman, who slammed his opponent to the mat, breaking free from the hold.
ALSO READ:Â Meet Three Nigerians Who Stand To Benefit From $11.4bn Damages Awarded To P&ID
The second round saw Usman strategically recover his energy, while Chimaev seemed to follow suit. During this period, Usman took the lead in the round with sharp striking from both stances. Chimaev did manage to land a late takedown, but Usman adeptly neutralized the Russian fighter until the round’s conclusion.
In the final round, Usman continued to excel in striking exchanges, while also denying Chimaev’s takedown attempts. Usman, too, had an unsuccessful takedown attempt, which was followed by Chimaev grounding the former champion once more, gaining another period of control time.
In the end, Chimaev’s efforts proved decisive, as he was declared the majority-decision winner with scores of 29-27 on two scorecards, while one judge scored it 28-28. As a result, Chimaev claimed the victory.
Chimaev’s next challenge is expected to be a showdown with middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who caused a major upset by dethroning Israel Adesanya in September, in what was considered one of the UFC’s most significant upsets to date.