Khamzat Chimaev didn’t imply to harm Robert Whittaker, however it simply occurred that means.
On Saturday night time at UFC 308, Chimaev picked up the eighth win of his UFC profession, stopping Whittaker with a neck crank within the first spherical. The submission was so brutal that it shattered the previous middleweight champion’s jaw and tooth, one thing Chimaev was not conscious of till after the struggle.
“Earlier than I are available in right here they confirmed it to me, however I felt one thing was incorrect together with his chin once I pushed it,” Chimaev stated in his post-fight press scrum. “So I really feel unhealthy for that. I didn’t imply to interrupt any person’s chin, however it’s my work, to make any person ache and make me comfortable, my household.
“I wasn’t attempting to interrupt his jaw in any means,” Chimaev added later. “It simply occurred that I went for a choke and I heard one thing click on. I believed I used to be taking his neck, however I assume I broke the jaw.”
The win is Chimaev’s sixth end within the UFC and earned him his fifth Efficiency bonus. It additionally could have earned “Borz” a title shot. Whereas former champion Sean Strickland seems to be subsequent in line for champion Dricus du Plessis, UFC CEO Dana White prompt after the struggle that maybe the pecking order could have modified. If that’s the case, Chimaev is comfortable to fulfill du Plessis on his residence turf of South Africa for the chance.
“If it might be for the belt, it doesn’t matter the place this goes,” Chimaev stated. “I’m simply going to go there and take my gold. So it’s as much as Dana. I believe they’ve by no means been to South Africa, so in the event that they go it will likely be good historical past, and I want to get pleasure from that.”
And whereas successful the title would be the finish purpose for a lot of fighters, for Chimaev that’s solely the start.
“I talked about three belts a very long time in the past so after all I need to go up,” Chimaev stated. “However what Dana White and the UFC need, I don’t know. First, I’ve to in my weight class take the belt, then I’m going to consider it.”
