Khamzat Chimaev does not mind waiting for the welterweight title shot; could turn to Adesanya

UFC commentary analyst Daniel Cormier believed that blazing welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev was the worst loser after the bout when Leon Edwards head kicked Kamaru Usman into the shadow realm and stole his 170-pound title in the process. If Chimaev defeats Diaz, according to UFC president Dana White, he will be the next in line for a title chance. Now Edwards and Usman (20-2 MMA, 15-1 UFC) are anticipated to square off in a trilogy fight. That means Chimaev will have to sit out until the first half of next year if he wants to challenge for the 170 lb strap.

However, the exciting Swede in an interview with ESPN’s Brett Okomotto laid out his plans if the trilogy is the next matchup UFC aims to make.

He said “If they want to do it, for me no problem,” Chimaev told ESPN of an Edwards vs. Usman trilogy. “I’m gonna take some other fight, and we will see what’s happening. Maybe Israel Adesanya or the other guy, Pereira. Who wins that, maybe fight with them. I don’t know.”

Chimaev believes Usman's lack of concentration versus Edwards harmed him. Usman was being compared to Georges St-Pierre as the greatest welterweight of all time, and Chimaev thinks his mind wasn't in the right place since "The Nigerian Nightmare" kept bringing up boxing champion Canelo Alvarez.

He said “It was a crazy fight, good fight,” Chimaev said. “I learned a lot of things about that fight. The guy (Usman) was too much high up: ‘I’m gonna fight with Canelo,’ and he got shot. He wasn’t being focused.”

Chimaev, however, must deal with a fight right away because first things first. Chimaev and Nate Diaz will square off in the UFC 279 main event this coming Saturday. Chimaev is fighting a man he has a lot of respect for in his first headline match. But according to Chimaev, that is no longer an option once the cage door closes.

He said “One side I respect the guy. All my opponents I respect the guys, but once I go to kill somebody, there’s no need for respect... If he can, he’s going to kill me. I’m going to do the same thing. In the cage when it comes time for war, I respect nobody.”

It will be interesting to see who comes out on top in the match up between Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz where the odds heavily favor the Swedish native.