Israel Adesanya vs Khamzat Chimaev to headline UFC Saudi Arabia on June 22 | UPDATE: Apparently not true

[IsNormal]

JUNE? Khamzat must have health issues again (he injured his hand in the Usman fight, right? and had hand issues before that too)

>This was the fight I was hoping would main event UFC 300

It's not a title fight so how would that even work?

It's unusual but I recall at least one time when UFC headlined a non-title-fight above a title-fight

UFC 189 McGregor vs Mendes headlined, above the title fight Lawler vs MacDonald

This was the fight I was hoping would main event UFC 300

Same. But in hindsight do you really care all that much if a fight is on 300 or another card?
Did you plan a big watch party for 300 and that was like the one chance you had to watch MMA with all your friends? If not - I don't see the big deal.

 

[Noraaq]

Holy shietttt. Is this actually confirmed?? The fight, and the build up to it would be so exciting

 

[Russie]

Izzy is going to get run over. He better hope he can drag it out until Khamzat gets tired.

That has to be in the plan of Izzy and his camp. Get him in the later rounds when falters.

 

[Subline]

 

[Fedora Millionankles]

About time Khamzat fights a true middleweight contender. Izzy's definitely getting mauled.

Please. Khamzat couldn’t maul LW Burns and barely scraped by the Ghost of WW Usman. He gets outclassed by Izzy and likely anyone in the top 5 at MW.
There’s a reason he wants to be gifted a title shot and not have to earn it.

 

[fedoriswar37]

Izzy will KO Kumzat .

 

[orca]

finally lets see izzy fight a very elite grappler

i truly believe khamzat smashes him
it will be all over once khamzat takes him down at rd 1

 

[orca]

Please. Khamzat couldn’t maul LW Burns and barely scraped by the Ghost of WW Usman. He gets outclassed by Izzy and likely anyone in the top 5 at MW.
There’s a reason he wants to be gifted a title shot and not have to earn it.

you act like izzy has outgrappled great grapplers
when in reality he fought mostly strikers
i bet ddp beats izzy too

izzy is a striker this is a good test for him
i always go for
grapplers who know how to strike > strikers who know how to defend takedowns

grappling is grueling i bet izzy wont like another man hugging him

 

[Fedora Millionankles]

you act like izzy has outgrappled great grapplers
when in reality he fought mostly strikers
i bet ddp beats izzy too

izzy is a striker this is a good test for him
i always go for
grapplers who know how to strike > strikers who know how to defend takedowns

grappling is grueling i bet izzy wont like another man hugging him

It’s a fight so anything can happen. Izzy did fight Brunson who is a very solid grappler and his TDD held up enough for him to highlight TKO him, so Izzy is not completely clueless.

You’re right that Izzy wouldn’t like to have a grappling match with Khamzat, but there’s no guarantee that he couldn’t catch him on his way to a takedown like he did Derek.

 

[MawrSeneca]

LMAO. Dana White is not going to put Izzy against Khamzat without a belt involved. You all know they're doing DDP vs Izzy next. There is too much promotional content to let it slip away again. Not a freaking chance.

Right now Chimaev needs a high ranked MW to fight to become the clear #1 contender. There happens to be Strickland sitting at #1. I am 99% confident they will make Khamzat vs. Strickland in Saudi or Abu Dhabi in a 3 rounder. No matter what people tell you: Dana wants Izzy or Khamzat as champ at all costs. They will gladly sacrifice Strickland or DDP to make it happen.