Khamzat Chimaev continued his remarkable 10-day run on Fight Island with a brutal knockout in his first UFC fight in the United States.
UFC middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev was initially labeled as a wrestler when he began to gain a following among UFC fans. But when faced with what was at the time the toughest test of his professional MMA career against Gerald Meerschaert, he passed the exam with flying colors and demonstrated his evolution.
Chimaev dropped jaws when he won two fights in 10 days in July 2020 to kick off his UFC tenure. He finished John Phillips by second-round submission before knocking out Rhys McKee within one round 10 days later.
After making headlines on Fight Island, the UFC moved quickly to bring Chimaev to the United States at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley in September 2020. Chimaev earned a main card slot against Meerschaert, a talented wrestler with vast experience in the cage.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Khamzat Chimaev needed 17 seconds to dismantle a middleweight vet
Chimaev and Meerschaert traded barbs prior to fight night, with Chimaev promising to make it look easy. The result was a 17-second battle with Meerschaert that proved Chimaev possessed more than an elite ground game.
At the start of the fight, Chimaev quickly took control of the Octagon and immediately put pressure on Meerschaert. Meerschaert was quickly pressed against the fence as Chimaev pressed forward.
As Meerschaert tried to circle out to his left and find an opening, Chimaev landed a huge straight right that dropped Meerschaert to the canvas. Chimaev's finishing method stunned the UFC broadcasters and the viewing public, who initially viewed Chimaev as just a grappler.
Chimaev's one-punch knockout earned him a post-fight performance bonus from UFC CEO Dana White. Despite three straight finishes at middleweight, Chimaev dropped down to 170 pounds, scoring impressive wins over Li Jingliang and Gilbert Burns.
Khamzat Chimaev is now one of the most complete fighters on the UFC roster
Chimaev has since returned to the middleweight division and has recent victories over Robert Whittaker and former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Next up for Chimaev is a likely booking against the winner of Dricus du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland 2 for the Middleweight Championship.
After some health-related issues outside the Octagon, Chimaev appears to be realizing his immense potential inside. His most recent win over Whittaker in particular silenced any opponents of Chimaev's meteoric rise up the middleweight ladder.
As long as Chimaev stays on his current path, he has a chance to become an all-time great UFC middleweight. His 17-second finish over Meerschaert showed the danger he still poses to his opponents if they manage to stop his takedowns.
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