The UFC 308 co-main event between former champion Robert ‘the Reaper’ Whittaker and the undefeated Khamzat ‘Borz’ Chimaev in Abu Dhabi on Saturday will be a rare five-round, non-title co-main event, something many fans would like to see as the norm for all title eliminators.
In this instance, this difference is especially interesting, given the past struggles of one of the stars competing. Khamzat Chimaev set UFC records for quick wins (quick in and out of the cage) but as he ascended the rankings, one weakness became clear, something which is a weakness to many undefeated stars who tear through the competition. I am speaking, of course, about cardio.
Against his first top opponent ever – Giblert Burns – ‘Borz’ won the first round, got dropped in the second, and went into the third round looking worn. Incredibly, Chimaev managed to dig deep despite breathing heavily through his mouth; he got back to flexing his advantages and simply out-dogged ‘Durinho’ in that final round, an absolute slugfest where Burns landed 45 significant strikes and Chimaev landed 44, winning due to the greater impact of his blows.
Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Extended HL: https://t.co/6veApXbL99 pic.twitter.com/ymYwBIvLAV
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) April 10, 2022
Gilbert was tired, too, at that point in the fight, and although Khamzat showed he could fight through the exhaustion, it would become a problem for him again two years later when he faced Burns’ former friend & opponent Kamaru Usman. Usman did not gas out whatsoever, and Chimaev appeared worse off than ever in the final two rounds of that three-round co-main event.
Although the performance impressed the world because Khamzat managed to take down one of the best takedown defenders in UFC history four times, including once in each of the second and third rounds. Still, he got out-struck in both and escaped Abu Dhabi that time with only a split decision.
🧵Chimaev ends up finishing a lot of what seems like bad shots with a mix of tenacity, strength and tehcnique.
Off the double, Usman sneaks the right underhook and tries to angle out but Chimaev is able to grab his left ankle tightly from his knees. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/UzPuRZdeBw— Feño 🏴 (@fenoxsky) October 22, 2024
This time around, he faces off against a man with similar takedown defense capabilities. Robert Whittaker famously fought and defeated amazing middleweight wrestlers and grapplers like Jacare Souza, Derek Brunson, and Yoel Romero twice. However, despite defending 7/28 takedowns from an Olympic silver medalist, ‘The Reaper’ has never faced someone who could combine wrestling and grappling like Chimaev.
Of course, the same can be said in reverse. Khamzat was able to take the back and almost submit Kamaru in that last fight, but Usman was yet another welterweight, although big, and is infamous for his weak knees from wrestling for a few decades. Usman is also a pure wrestler.
Robert Whittaker has been a middleweight for ten years, is one of the best strikers in the division with his karate boxing style, and – despite approaching the age of 34 – can still beat good contenders and look healthy doing so.
The bout can go either way early. It is not long since Whittaker got taken down and then folded with a body shot by now-champ Dricus du Plessis. Chimaev could absolutely find success in Whittaker’s primary realm just as the opposite is true, but if the fight goes longer than that
Maybe Khamzat Chimaev and company know something the rest of the world does not. Maybe he is not dealing with any health issues this time, but that seems unlikely. Khamzat had a bad case of COVID-19 and destroyed his body by cutting down to welterweight/over-training for years, so he has a hard time making weight even at middleweight now.
Maybe his cardio has also become amazing out of nowhere and he will survive five hard rounds with ‘the Reaper.’ While I do think Chimaev has a better gas tank than he showed against Usman, I have a hard time seeing him going 25 minutes. He has to get a finish in the early going, or be doomed late.
Thus, I am picking yet another underdog on this card to win in Robert Whittaker. He has more paths to victory, is the more known/proven quantity, and has all the tools to survive even if forced into his foe’s wheelhouse. ‘The Reaper’ by fourth-round TKO.
Last time out, Robert Whittaker stunned Ikram Aliskerov in Saudi Arabia 🚀#UFC308 | Oct 26, 5PM | LIVE on TNT Sports Box Office ➡️ https://t.co/uXQAMHNTBd pic.twitter.com/5Hxlm2VPJ6
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 22, 2024
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