Khamzat Chimaev and Jiri Prochazka are both familiar to Asian MMA fans. The latter spends much of his time at Tiger Muay Thai while the former was the Rizin light heavyweight champion.
It appears they have also trained together although it isn’t clear exactly where. But according to Chimaev he used to get the better of a man who typically competes two divisions above him.
He appeared on the MMA Hour this week and was extremely disparaging about Prochazka,
“When he was fighting Rizin and I was fighting Brave we trained together in the gym. We sparred, hard sparring, I won many rounds. I submit him many times, I beat him many times. He becomes a champ. Now I don’t know maybe it’s too bad fighters in this division,” he told Ariel Helwani.
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Inside information
Prochazka is going to be out of action for the foreseeable future due to injury. But the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion did not take kindly to Chimaev’s comments,
“Man, which person needs to speak again and again about this four years old information? Gym, inside information. Man, when we will meet next time in a cage, I will show you my true power. Don’t speak about others too much,” Prochazka said in an Instagram story.
Chimaev missed weight badly ahead of his most recent fight at welterweight and could well be moving up to 185lbs. It means the weight difference between the two men could potentially be getting smaller.
Chimaev certainly seems to think a fight could be possible and replied to Prochazka on Instagram
“See you soon boy. Respect. Let’s fight in Sweden, June or July.”
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Nasty injury
Prochazka was forced to vacate the light heavyweight belt after injuring his shoulder. Jamahal Hill subsequently secured the vacant title with a unanimous decision win over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283.
The obvious thing to do would be for the UFC to do would be to grant Prochazka a chance to regain the title by matching him with Hill. Meanwhile Chimaev appears to have his sights set on the middleweight strap.
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya rematch at UFC 287 and Chimaev believes he would beat the Brazilian easily,
“He’s the most easy fight for me in the UFC. In my career, brother. First round, first minute. Easy. If Israel trains just wrestling in his training camp, he’ll beat him easy. That guy has zero wrestling, I don’t like that guy.”
