UFC President Dana White has never seen anything quite like Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev competed on the main card of UFC Vegas 11, scoring a first-round knockout win over Gerald Meerschaert. White has seen a lot off fighters pass through the UFC over the years, but Chimaev may be one-of-a-kind.
“The guy’s special,” White said after the event (via Mike Bohn & John Morgan of MMA Junkie). “I’ve been in this game my whole life, I’ve never seen anything like him. He’s special, he’s different and he wants to fight again. I’ve never been in a position where I’m like, ‘Who’s next? How do we get him a fight? How do we get him over here, how do we get him over there? How do we do this, how do we do that?’ It’s fun and I like it and I think when you’re a fight fan a guy like this is who you love to watch and follow and hate and whatever it might be. This guy is one of the most special fighters I’ve ever seen, if not the most special guy that I’ve ever come across.”
Chimaev made UFC history at the event, notching three consecutive wins in the shortest time between fights. The plan was for Demian Maia to fight Chimaev next, but White may be altering those plans.
“That’s what everybody is saying,” White said. “This guy is special, man. It’s true. … I don’t know what I do with him yet. He might fight before Maia and fight Maia, too. Maia’s not going to be ready in time for this kid.”
Maia is ranked no. 7 in the UFC welterweight division and would be the first ranked fighter that Chimaev has faced in his UFC tenure.
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