Kamaru Usman believes that the reasons for Khamzat Chimaev 's defeat at UFC 328 go beyond what was shown inside the octagon. The Chechen faced Sean Strickland in the main event, held last Saturday (9), and ended up being defeated by the judges' decision. For the Nigerian, the result could have been different if the athlete had a head coach by his side.
During an appearance on the 'Pound4Pound' podcast, Usman raised questions about Chimaev's team structure, especially during the intervals between rounds. The former champion highlighted the lack of clear leadership in the corner, pointing out that the fighter seemed not to receive consistent strategic guidance throughout the fight.
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"Between rounds, who is his coach? Who is giving him sensible instructions? Arman Tsarukyan , a fighter still trying to fight his way to the title, was his main coach? Who is his MMA coach?" said Kamaru Usman.
Finally, the Nigerian emphasized that, despite Chimaev's enormous athletic potential, the absence of a head coach capable of organizing and integrating all his skills may be limiting his development. According to him, establishing a solid bond with an experienced technical leader would be fundamental to taking the fighter to a new level within the sport.
“ Khamzat Chimaev has all this athletic ability. What he’s lacking is a head coach. A connection between Khamzat and finding a coach who can bring all of that together could take Khamzat to the next level,” concluded the Nigerian.
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