Khamzat Chimaev is just trying to run behind the hype, according to UFC champion Alex Pereira, by calling him out. What is the reason behind Khamzat’ s callout and Alex’s reaction to that? Continue reading to find out!
After finishing Jiri Prochazka to win the vacant title at UFC 295, Pereira accepted a challenge from Chimaev. “Poatan” challenged Israel Adesanya to a trilogy, but Jamahal Hill, the former champion, is anticipated to face him in his first title defense.
At UFC 294 in a 185-pound match, undefeated Chimaev defeated former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman via close decision. In response to Chimaev’ s callout, Pereira stated that “Borz” had his opportunity previously when he showed an interest in facing him.
Pereira explained on his YouTube channel, with the help of an interpreter, that the events unfolded after his fight with Adesanya when he became the middleweight champion. He described the intense battle with Adesanya, revealing that he sustained injuries. Subsequently, Chimaev challenged him directly, expressing the desire to fight for the championship and take the belt. Pereira agreed to the fight, proposing it take place in the light heavyweight division.
However, Chimaev refused to accept the fight in the light heavyweight category. Pereira expressed his frustration, stating that Chimaev initially declined to compete in that weight class. Now, as Pereira holds the light heavyweight title, Chimaev is once again calling him out in the same division. Pereira interpreted this as opportunistic behavior, with fighters attempting to capitalize on the fame and hype surrounding champions. He questioned the logic of the situation, wondering if he should now call Chimaev out in the heavyweight division. In Pereira’s view, the entire sequence of events doesn’t make sense.
In a social media post, Pereira also mocked Chimaev’s recent opposition. What do you feel about Chimaev’s callout and Pereira’s reaction to it? Do you feel both were reasonable? Let us know in the comment section!
