Following Nick Maximov’s recent victory by split-decision against Punahele Soriano, the middleweight is now eying a potential fight with Khamzat Chimaev.
Maximov was featured in the co-main event last weekend on the UFC: Strickland vs. Hermansson card. Instead of utilizing a boxing offense similar to the Diaz brothers, he took advantage of the grappling discrepancy when facing off with Soriano. The middleweight defeated his opponent by decision, although many were critical of his showing because he didn’t display obvious signs of being well-rounded.
Two fights into his UFC career and the Stockton native certainly left fans wanting more after his most recent performance. As a member of the notorious Nick Diaz Army, Nick Maximov is the latest representative from the 209-area looking to penetrate the rankings at 185-pounds.
š @NateDiaz209 in the building tonight supporting his guy @NickMax15. #UFCVegas47 pic.twitter.com/GnjPNG0ItP
— UFC (@ufc) February 6, 2022
Nick Maximov believes Chimaev Needs to Face a Wrestler
The 10-0 Chimaev has quickly established himself as a rising star in the UFC. When entering the promotion, “Borz” alternated between the 170lb and 185lb weight classes. With a one hundred percent finishing rate, Chimaev’s rise has been meteoric and his ceiling as a mixed martial artist has yet to be realized.
Maximov recently spoke with TMZ about the possibility of facing the Chechen-Swede. Given the undefeated status of Chimaev, Maximov believes it’s time to put both of those unblemished records on the line. When asked if he believes a fight with Chimaev makes sense, Nick had the following to say about the matter.
āI think so, too,ā he said when asked about a fight with Chimaev making sense. āKhamzatās fighting all these little a** guys but Iāll like to fight him next. He tries to call out Nate and Nick, itās like fight me then. Weāre both in the same boatā¦ but why are people scared of him, know what Iām saying?Ā He hasnāt fought any wrestlers. Heās a wrestler, but he hasnāt fought any wrestlers. So Iām like, āWhat the fuck?ā
He underlines that Chimaev has yet to face legitimate wrestlers. With the grappling toolbox possessed by Maximov, the rising contender is confident about his chances against Chimaev. In an effort to stoke a pre-fight fire, Maximov issued a statement to Chimaev directly.
āFight me next then, because he hasnāt fought any wrestlers. Heās fought MMA fighters and Iām a martial artist who can wrestle. I just made the record [for takedowns] in my second UFC fight. In my second UFC fight, I was the co-main event, so who else is doing that?ā he told TMZ.
While Chimaev appears to be booked against former title challenger Gilbert Burns, it seems the fight with Maximov makes sense considering the undefeated status of both fighters. Either way, Nick Maximov is flying high after his big win at UFC Vegas 47 over the weekend.
Do you think Nick Maximov has earned a fight against Khamzat Chimaev?
