Khamzat Chimaev vs Kamaru Usman Prediction: Knockout is Inevitable

UFC 294, which takes place on October 21, is getting even more significant. In the co-main event, Khamzat Chimaev will face former champion Kamaru Usman. He will replace Paulo Costa, who was stricken with Staphylococcus aureus. This fight will be a challenger. According to its results, if not injured, one of them will fight the current middleweight champion, Sean Strickland.

Khamzat Chimaev burst into the UFC in 2020. He was knocking out and choking opponents without pausing for rest and camps. At the same time, he became an incredible star in the media space, and it is to him we should be grateful for the already stable expression "hype train." During this period, Khamzat had some unpleasant moments - refusing fights, strange illnesses, and a desire to end his career. However, Borz is still in the line. He has yet to be defeated, and all his victories except against Gilbert Burns are early. In his last bout, exactly one year ago, Hamzat met with Kevin Holland, who had appeared on short notice (what a coincidence?). In the first round, Chimaev knocked him out.

Kamaru Usman was the dominant welterweight champion from 2019-2022. It seemed then that he was on top for the long haul. He dominated as usual in another title defense, his sixth in a row, against Leon Edwards. But in the final minute of the fifth round, he succumbed to a feint, missed a high kick, and was knocked out cold. It was thunderous, but even more so in the rematch when Usman lost again.

Despite these two consecutive losses, the Nigerian Nightmare is still the number one ranked welterweight and a threat to the champion. But now he has a different challenge, arguably riskier.

Still, Kamaru's chances of defeating Chimaev are pretty good. He's a versatile fighter, and his losses to Edwards are the only ones of his career (if you take away the one loss at the beginning of his journey, back in 2013).

According to Henry Cejudo, the only one who can beat Chimaev is Usman, and we agree. But, as usual, there are a few main points: short notice and an unfamiliar weight class.

One of Usman's trump cards - physical strength - won't work here. Khamzat won't give in to his strength. Therefore, we won't see Kamaru's power takedowns, but there will still be wrestling. Hamzat might drag him to the canvas and wear him out.

The standing also promises to be hot, and Usman must worry about his chin. All things being equal, Borz seems to have a better chance of winning, but anything can happen.