Carlos Barreto: If He Stays Healthy, Chimaev Will Devastate Middleweight Division

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

​

Carlos Barreto doesn’t see anyone stopping Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight after the Chechen-born Swede’s dominant performance against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.



"Whittaker was the worst combination in the division for Chimaev,” said the UFC Fight Pass Brazil commentator on the Papo de Luta podcast. “I’ve always said that Whittaker is the most complete fighter in the division, not only because of his movement, but also because of his excellent takedown defense and good jiu-jitsu skills. Because of the dominant way Chimaev beat him, making it look easy, I have no doubt he will devastate the division.

“His physical imposition goes very well with his wrestling and jiu-jitsu technique. Anyone in the division who grapples with him is going to get hurt. But an unquestionable fact is that his physical imposition game depends on being healthy."

While many fans are already starting to dream of a fight between Chimaev and current light heavyweight king Alex Pereira, Barreto believes the timing is not right for this pairing.

"Everything indicates that ‘Poatan’ will move up to heavyweight at the beginning of 2025. To do this, he needs to bulk up. When he makes this transition, it does not make any sense to come down to middleweight again,” he said. “On the other hand, Chimaev has to wait for the fight between [Dricus] Du Plessis and [Sean] Strickland to fight the winner, perhaps in the middle of 2025. The only way I see this happening is if Chimaev gets the middleweight belt and defends it once or twice. In this case, it could make sense to UFC to make a superfight with ‘Poatan’ at light heavyweight in 2026. Of course, ‘Poatan’ would have to beat [Magomed] Ankalaev before that. So there are too many ‘ifs’ to think about that now.”

Carlos Barreto: If He Stays Healthy, Chimaev Will Devastate Middleweight Division

Carlos Barreto doesn’t see anyone stopping Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight after the Chechen-born Swede’s dominant performance against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.

www.sherdog.com

Spoiler

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@Neck&Neck @Horiguchi'sEar

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

That's a big if

 

[Gabe]

Yeah I think most of us know that now. Whittaker was one of his toughest fights on paper. I won’t count DDP out but I favor Khamzat heavily.

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

Stay healthy borz. Keen to see more of you in da OKTOGON

 

[10000yearsold]

No doubt about it. Both middleweight and light heavyweight are divisions of almost exclusively kickboxing reliant combatants.
Chimaev is doing some Khabib level shit with heavy hands and insane strength.
He’s dangerous absolutley everywhere, with the only exception being perhaps the 4th and 5th round, but that’s something that hopefully can be fixed and is a work in progress.

It would come as no surprise to me if he champ champed those classes in an absolute bulldozing of the opposition.

 

[Khaosan]

If my aunt had a dick she’d be my uncle.

 

[10000yearsold]

Yeah I think most of us know that now. Whittaker was one of his toughest fights on paper. I won’t count DDP out but I favor Khamzat heavily.

I agree that ddp is actually as dangerous as it gets for him all the way thru 205. But ddp is not gonna be able to get anywhere near the technical complexity and acumen of Khamz. His bank needs to be on being super strong and adequate to survive long enough to wage a counter strike.
At their respective bests tho, I don’t see how ddp winning is possible.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Khamzat '"The Dentist" Chimaev

 

[StonedLemur]

​

Carlos Barreto doesn’t see anyone stopping Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight after the Chechen-born Swede’s dominant performance against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.



"Whittaker was the worst combination in the division for Chimaev,” said the UFC Fight Pass Brazil commentator on the Papo de Luta podcast. “I’ve always said that Whittaker is the most complete fighter in the division, not only because of his movement, but also because of his excellent takedown defense and good jiu-jitsu skills. Because of the dominant way Chimaev beat him, making it look easy, I have no doubt he will devastate the division.

“His physical imposition goes very well with his wrestling and jiu-jitsu technique. Anyone in the division who grapples with him is going to get hurt. But an unquestionable fact is that his physical imposition game depends on being healthy."

While many fans are already starting to dream of a fight between Chimaev and current light heavyweight king Alex Pereira, Barreto believes the timing is not right for this pairing.

"Everything indicates that ‘Poatan’ will move up to heavyweight at the beginning of 2025. To do this, he needs to bulk up. When he makes this transition, it does not make any sense to come down to middleweight again,” he said. “On the other hand, Chimaev has to wait for the fight between [Dricus] Du Plessis and [Sean] Strickland to fight the winner, perhaps in the middle of 2025. The only way I see this happening is if Chimaev gets the middleweight belt and defends it once or twice. In this case, it could make sense to UFC to make a superfight with ‘Poatan’ at light heavyweight in 2026. Of course, ‘Poatan’ would have to beat [Magomed] Ankalaev before that. So there are too many ‘ifs’ to think about that now.”

Carlos Barreto: If He Stays Healthy, Chimaev Will Devastate Middleweight Division

Carlos Barreto doesn’t see anyone stopping Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight after the Chechen-born Swede’s dominant performance against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308.

www.sherdog.com

Spoiler

@Sakuraba'sEar

@Sakuraba is #1

@Arqueto @BroRogan @Carl Drogo @lsa
@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows @nonoob @Mohawk Banditó @JKS @SuperNerd @2004 account @Mammothman @Bushwhacker B @Siver! @TITS @Cowboy Kurt Angle @Jose Beehive @MEAN357 @NoBiasJustMMA @FlyingDeathKick @Doughie99 @13Seconds @CPH @Kenny Powerth @OldBoy91 @Kryptt @Paynebringer @HI SCOTT NEWMAN @Poirierfan @SenorFranko @MMALOPEZ @Hellowhosthat @Get To Da Choppa @BangBang @Substance Abuse @John makfresshi @Islam Imamate @Wong_Wongster_Irish @TCE @Jackonfire @helax @Iroh

@Neck&Neck @Horiguchi'sEar

Khamzat has shown he doesn't like to be on the ground with guys that are really good at BJJ (Burns).

So I think Caio might give him a lot trouble on the ground, and especially if he tries to stand with him.

 

[JoeRowe]

DDP, Caio, & perhaps eventually Nickal will be very interesting fights for him. Still not sold on his cardio nor his striking defense.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Khamzat has shown he doesn't like to be on the ground with guys that are really good at BJJ (Burns).

So I think Caio might give him a lot trouble on the ground, and especially if he tries to stand with him.

 

[StonedLemur]

Not impossible, but I don't see it big dog

 

[usernamee]

Khamzat '"The Dentist" Chimaev

Sir, I'm gonna go ahead and request a new dentist

 

[tritestill]

Outrageous Assumption

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Not impossible, but I don't see it big dog

Sir, I'm gonna go ahead and request a new dentist

 

[Azure]

Everyone is unstopable until they lose.. A few fights ago people were shitting on him for the Burns fight.

Khamzat is his own worst enemy.. Let's see if he can stay healthy and continue to make weight

 

[Klippy]

Bo Nickal.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

@Neck&Neck @helax @Bobby Boulders

 

[rjmbrd]

Whittaker got tossed to the ground, beaten to shit with ground & pound, then knocked out standing literally two fights ago against Dricus.

"Robert is the most complete fighter ...."

This is so utterly stupid. He got MURDERED by Dricus and two fights before that lost to Izzy. He is a solid top 5-10 talent, who couldn't compete with the best of the division in some years.

 

[octagonation]

Khamzat has shown he doesn't like to be on the ground with guys that are really good at BJJ (Burns).

So I think Caio might give him a lot trouble on the ground, and especially if he tries to stand with him.

They use to say the same about Islam and Charles which was never the case.. Charles has some of the best BJJ in MMA but showed no respect and I don´t think Khamzat will either.. He did it against Burns and he shouldn´t have done it