Khamzat Shimaev wins Dricus du Plessis No. UFC 319. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC News
Former middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg) and eyeing his former reign, Israel adesanya left rivalry aside when talking about the performance of Khamzat Shimaev against Dricus du Plessis No. UFC 319. Despite knowing that the Emirati was the clear favorite, the veteran admitted to being surprised by the result of the fight.
Despite the surprise, Adesanya did not hesitate to recognize that the middleweight division is finally in good hands, after the South African lost his title in his third attempt to defend it in the octagon.
“It wasn't what I expected, but I'm happy Khamzat fixed his cardio and improved his cardio to the point where he could go five rounds and just destroy his opponents. This is a mess. It's a mess to deal with. I thought maybe DDP in the fourth round would be able to stop the takedowns and Khamzat would tire, but he didn't even slow down. He slowed down DDP. He slowed down his pace, which is very impressive. Khamzat, the new middleweight champion. The division is in good hands,” Adesanya declared on his YouTube channel.
Determined to achieve long-term dominance in the category, Chimaev indicates that he already wants to return to the octagon as early as 2025. During a press conference after his unprecedented victory, the fighter expressed interest in competing in... UFC 321, an event that takes place on October 25th in Abu Dhabi.
So far, nothing has been made official, but Dana White has also assured that he may select the new champion to appear before his people. On social media, Chimaev expressed interest in defending his throne against Ridder's Reinier.
Read More about: Israel adesanya, Khamzat Shimaev, MMA, UFC, UFC 319, Ultimate
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