The boogeyman, of sorts, in this equation is Khamzat Chimaev. “Borz” hasn’t fought since a last-second, chaotic series of events cost him a headlining spot at UFC 279 and landed him in a bout against Kevin Holland, who he beat in half a round. Chimaev missing weight by more than seven pounds put a stain on his championship aspirations, but he’s still a must watch any time he steps into the Octagon.
He is set to fight Paulo Costa at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, and a win against the Brazilian could be enough to push Chimaev over the line and into a title fight despite just two middleweight wins on his UFC record. Adesanya has expressed interest in the matchup should Chimaev get past Costa, so it’s something to watch if events unfold accordingly.
Some people are still clamoring for a trilogy bout between Adesanya and Pereira, but with „Poatan“ in the light heavyweigh ttitle mix, it’s unknown if that’s a fight in play. Adesanya has challenged for the light heavyweight title before, and if double-champ status still interests him, doing so against Pereira – should the Brazilian fight and win the 205-pound title – is certainly something that would interest the middleweight champion.
Of course, it’s the fight game, and Strickland beating Adesanya wouldn’t be the most shocking result we’ve seen in the Octagon. “Tarzan” is a crafty, durable and powerful veteran of the sport who won’t be intimidated by the pomp and circumstance of fighting Adesanya in Oceania. Great fighters seem invincible until they’re not, but Adesanya’s streak of dominance is set to reach new heights should he keep the train rolling Down Under.
