Khamzat Chimaev shocked fans by entering two pounds under the middleweight limit at the UFC 319 ways, but all were perhaps not as it seemed.
Saturday's main event will see the long-awaited first title shot of Chimaev to flourish, because the unbeaten Chechenstar wants to win five years of gold after the announcement of his UFC arrival in a emphatic way and a first striving for Welterweight Glory.
'Borz' has since moved to the middleweight and has set its sights on the 185 pound title. To claim it, Chimaev Drus Du Plessis has to deduct from UFC 319 in the United Center of Chicago.
Although Chimaev's Run-in with Du Plessis during the Vechtweek led to suggest that the challenger would have a big advantage in the cage, he actually came much lighter than expected at the official weightings. However, his team disputes that.
The nutritionist of Khamzat Chimaev insists that he was not two pounds underweight at the UFC 319-Weg-Ins
Although he was not missing a weight, the UFC 319 movement of Chimaev still caused a stir. Despite stripping and stepping on the scale behind a curtain – a movement that is usually made by those who are worried about overweight – the weight of the middle weight challenger was read as 183 pounds.
Many quickly wondered why Chimaev used the box to get in two pounds under the limit of the championship. Comments from others, including a frustrated du Plessis, later hinted on a possible problem with the scale.
That was recently confirmed by the nutritionist of Chimaev, Matteo Capodaglio. In a post on Instagram, he tried to destroy every 'speculation' about the weight of his hunter, insisting that the Chechen star had actually been reduced to just under 185 pounds.
“Before speculating about the weight of Khamzat, we weighed two UFC scales before we boarded the athletic committee,” wrote Capodaglio.
“Our weight was 184.8 pounds. I am not sure if it was a matter of operator, but I can assure you that the weight of Khamzat was exactly under the champion limit of 185 pounds,” he added.
Khamzat Chimaev's Fiery Last Warning for Dricus du Plessis prior to UFC 319
After a largely drama -free Vechtweek, apart from countless UFC 319 Vecht Annulations, things were briefly heated during Friday's ceremonial weightings.
And after Chimaev became physical with Du Plessis, the force of security and Dana White to intervene, 'Borz' sent an ominous warning to the champion with his last comments prior to Fight Night.
“Just go f— this boy up,” Chimaev told Joe Rogan on stage.
“One day he only has one day left. He will be dead tomorrow.”