Khamzat Chimaev: 'I'm hungry,' hopefully Li Jingliang 'gonna give me some fight' at UFC 267
Eager to return to competition, UFC welterweight Khamzat Chimaev is not looking to mirror his past performances.
Chimaev (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) hasn’t competed since September 2020, when he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in just 17 seconds. But the rising star’s momentum took a halt when a long battle with COVID-19 forced him to the sidelines for over a year.
While a quick finish is always a nice result in an MMA fight, Chimaev is also known for his ability to inflict damage, and he wants a full experience in the octagon when he takes on Li Jingliang in Saturday’s UFC 267 main card.
“I hope he’s gonna give me some fight,” Chimaev told UFC Arabia. “Not finish him in like one minute or two minutes. I want to fight more because I’m hungry. I didn’t fight for one year, and I hope he’s gonna go two or three rounds.”
Chimaev admits that it’s refreshing to see Jingliang (18-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) give him some respect in the pre-fight buildup but says that won’t change his intentions on the night.
“I like him, too – he’s a good guy, but I have to beat him up,” Chimaev said. “People who do this sport, in MMA the guys who are high-level know you can’t beat nine guys, nine finishes and be just hype. People talk about me being famous, blah, blah, blah. I’m a fighter. I’m a warrior. That’s why I’m here.”
He continued, “I don’t have some plans for the fight. I just go in and fight. Everything comes natural. Just go in and kill him.”
And when asked which feels better, a knockout or a mauling for three rounds, Chimaev said there’s something satisfying about making a man quit.
“Doesn’t matter,”Chimaev said. “When I see his eyes and he doesn’t want to fight with me, I feel more comfortable, more nice. Maybe take him down sometimes and beat him and see his eyes and he says, ‘Stop now, I’m finished.’ I like that.”
UFC 267 takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The card streams on ESPN+.