Khamzat Chimaev sees Israel Adesanya as easier fight than Kamaru Usman: ‘He has zero wrestling’

Between Khamzat Chimaev, Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya, it’s no secret what all three’s strengths are.

Chimaev and Usman have been dominant to varying degrees over opposite periods of time, but ultimately have leaned on their strong wrestling bases to find success. Meanwhile, up at Middleweight, Adesanya has established himself as one of mixed martial arts’ (MMA) all-time best strikers. Because of the contrast in styles, “Borz” sees himself having an easier time in a potential Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title fight against Adesanya over Usman.

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MASSIVE MIDDLEWEIGHT MATCH! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) makes its highly anticipated return to Sydney, Australia, for the first time in five years on Sat., Sept. 9, 2023, with a 185-pound world title fight inside Qudos Bank Arena. In the ESPN+-streamed pay-per-view (PPV) main event, Middleweight roost-ruler, Israel Adesanya, plans to silence No. 5-seeded contender, Sean Strickland. In UFC 293’s hard-hitting Heavyweight co-main event, No-6-ranked fan favorite, Tai Tuivasa, locks horns with towering Russian, Alexander Volkov (No. 8).

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“‘Izzy,’ I think it will be more easy for me to smash that guy,” Chimaev told MMA Fighting. “He has zero wrestling. The guy he fought last time [Robert Whittaker], he’s not a wrestler — he took his back. If I take his back, brother, I’ll squeeze his head off. I’ll take his head off. Easy money for me.”

Next up for Chimaev will be his biggest test yet when he takes on former Welterweight title challenger, Gilbert “Durinho” Burns, at UFC 273 on April 9, 2022. Despite only having four wins in UFC (10-0 overall), it would be hard to deny the Sweden representative of a shot at gold after defeating the No. 2-ranked contender.

“I think I have to fight for the title,” Chimaev said. “Who is the next guy out there? Ten fights, 10 finishes. After [the Burns fight], 11 fights, 11 finishes. And what are they going to say? The guy is No. 2 in the rankings. Now they talk about, ‘Oh, you didn’t fight somebody in the rankings.’ Now, if I beat this guy — No. 2 — what are you going to say?

“I feel [like] I could kill everybody, brother,” Chimaev continued. “I am the greatest of all time, brother. I am the best.”