Ex-UFC Star Gives Prediction For Khamzat Chimaev vs. Kamaru Usman: He'll Get Ragdolled

One fighter doesn't have any doubts about how this UFC 294 matchup will play out.

Author:
Drew Beaupré
Publish date:
Oct 17, 2023 9:31 AM EDT

Former UFC title challenger Darren Till doesn’t expect the UFC 294 co-main event between Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman to be competitive.

Chimaev joined the UFC in 2020 and quickly added five wins to his unbeaten record with four of those fights coming in the welterweight division. A main event matchup with Nate Diaz at UFC 279 fell apart when “Borz” badly missed weight, and after defeating Kevin Holland in a catchweight bout he was booked to meet Paulo Costa in a middleweight contest at UFC 294.

Costa’s withdrawal from UFC 294 less than two weeks before the event was quickly addressed when the promotion brought in Usman to make his own middleweight debut against Chimaev.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” is a former UFC welterweight champion, but Till doesn’t expect things to go well for him when he enters the Octagon in Abu Dhabi:

Kamaru Usman Leon Edwards — Usman will try to end the first two-fight skid of his career at UFC 294.
(Per Haljestam/USA TODAY Sports)

“Usman’s got balls, but I just think – I think Khamzat’s gonna run over him, I do,” Till told The Schmo. “As much as I’m his friend, I’m his biggest fan, Khamzat – I think he’s gonna run over Usman. All respect to him, he’s a GOAT…I think Khamzat’s gonna ragdoll him, I do. Sorry to say.”

A submission loss in his second pro bout in 2013 preceded what eventually became an incredible 19-fight win streak for Usman. That run saw the 36-year-old join the UFC after winning Season 21 of The Ultimate Fighter, and after claiming the promotion’s welterweight title at UFC 235 he went on to defend his belt five times.

Usman suffered a shocking knockout loss in the final minute of his matchup with Leon Edwards at UFC 278 and came up short once again when the pair met in an immediate rematch earlier this year. Rumors that “The Nigerian Nightmare” might move up to middleweight and face Chimaev emerged in the months following his second loss to Edwards when the pair began exchanging words online.

This short-notice booking might not be an ideal scenario for either man to join the UFC's middleweight division, but the fight will carry some massive implications considering Dana White has already stated the winner will challenge Sean Strickland for the promotion's middleweight title.

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