Media Chimaev is moving up to LHW after his next fight, says nobody in MW is a fighter UFC wanna pay good money for

[Pequeño Corey]

That doesn't make sense.
His quotes are very relevant to this thread.

People are up in arms that he's "ducking" MW-contenders, when it's obviously false when we look at what he actually said, instead of just skimming the misleading title of this thread.

He believes he would get paid more for a fight against Alex for a second belt.

That doesn't mean that he will vacate or refuse to fight contenders at MW if he doesn't get that fight.

He'll get paid more for a title fight at LHW than he would at MW in the non-PPV era?

 

[Rio Ferdinand]

He will make bank fighting either Strickland or move up to fight Alex.

I'd like to see him defend at least once though ffs. Although he did say one more fight at MW before moving up.

 

[Limeade]

This is great news. DDP or Dutch Knight as future MW champions.

 

[188912345]

He'll get paid more for a title fight at LHW than he would at MW in the non-PPV era?

I didn't say that.

He (and probably his manager) thinks that.

Becoming a double champ would obviously make him more money and improve his legacy. He would then earn more money from endorsements, etc.

Objectively, it's obviously a bigger (and more competitive) fight than whatever is available at MW at the moment.

It seems like most people here don't want to see it because they're scared that he will defeat Pereira.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

I didn't say that.

He (and probably his manager) thinks that.

Becoming a double champ would obviously make him more money and improve his legacy. He would then earn more money from endorsements, etc.

Objectively, it's obviously a bigger (and more competitive) fight than whatever is available at MW at the moment.

It seems like most people here don't want to see it because they're scared that he will defeat Pereira.

AP chasing big game at HW. Hazmat clout chasing bc he knows Alex is a star. Has nothing to do with pursuing a "more competitive" fight. According to haters, Alex can't grapple and is one dimensional. Should be a layup for ratlip, no?

 

[188912345]

AP chasing big game at HW. Hazmat clout chasing bc he knows Alex is a star. Has nothing to do with pursuing a "more competitive" fight. According to haters, Alex can't grapple and is one dimensional. Should be a layup for ratlip, no?

The risk of him getting KTFO is obviously higher vs Pereira than Strickland or Imavov, wouldn't you agree?

I didn't say that he said he wants to fight Alex because it's a more competitive fight.

He wants to fight Alex because he thinks it's a big fight that will make him double champ and raise his star power and salary.

I think that's also why you seem upset about the very thought of that fight happening.

I'm not a hater of Pereira.

Pereira showed much better takedown defense vs Ankalaev than Strickland did vs Dricus.

I agree that it's a pipe dream, close to 0% chance that the UFC will give him that fight.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

The risk of him getting KTFO is obviously higher vs Pereira than Strickland or Imavov, wouldn't you agree?

I didn't say that he said he wants to fight Alex because it's a more competitive fight.

He wants to fight Alex because he thinks it's a big fight that will make him double champ and raise his star power and salary.

I think that's also why you seem upset about the very thought of that fight happening.

I'm not a hater of Pereira.

Pereira showed much better takedown defense vs Ankalaev than Strickland did vs Dricus.

I agree that it's a pipe dream, close to 0% chance that the UFC will give him that fight.

Alex moving up to HW makes sense. He's at the tail end of his career. Fought Ank and Jiri twice, KO'd both of them. KO'd Hill. KO'd Khalil. You could argue (foolioshly) that Ulberg represents unfinished business at LHW, but otherwise, Alex has a decent body of work there and has earned the right to chase a title in a third weight class. This doesn't apply across the board, though.

Contrast that with rat lip, who represents the annoying trend of winning a belt and immediately wanting to jump weight classes. This champ champ shit is cringey, lame, and it's ruining the sport. Add to that, rat lip fights once a year, and even worse, takes himself off the map for a quarter so he can starve himself. Dude is a turd in the punchbowl. No thanks.

 

[Conan the K-9]

He wants to fight Alex because he thinks it's a big fight that will make him double champ and raise his star power and salary.

What do you mean by this?
Did Anks star power raise when he beat Pereira, did he gain more permanent fame and fans (or only our beloved HHJ) ?
Salary should raise by becoming a double champ, but in his case not so sure about everything else. I think he has reached the maximum of his fan favorite potential already.

 

[188912345]

What do you mean by this?
Did Anks star power raise when he beat Pereira, did he gain more permanent fame and fans (or only our beloved HHJ) ?
Salary should raise by becoming a double champ, but in his case not so sure about everything else. I think he has reached the maximum of his fan favorite potential already.

I think Khamzat was a much bigger star than Ankalaev, before either of them become champions, so it's not really comparable.

Him becoming a double champ should improve his "legacy" and garner a lot of attention, especially if it would be an entertaining fight with a finish on a big card.

Again, I agree it's not likely at all that it will actually happen, but I can understand why he wants that fight.

 

[Conan the K-9]

I think Khamzat was a much bigger star than Ankalaev, before either of them become champions, so it's not really comparable.

Him becoming a double champ should improve his "legacy" and garner a lot of attention, especially if it would be an entertaining fight with a finish on a big card.

Again, I agree it's not likely at all that it will actually happen, but I can understand why he wants that fight.

Agree. The only way I see him growing his fanbase and fame, is getting a “Conor” fight, fighting someone who is controversial and creates drama. That’s what made Khabib famous, beating Conor’s ass after all that trash talk. I don’t see Pereira as someone like that.

 

[Alpha_T83]

He'll get paid more for a title fight at LHW than he would at MW in the non-PPV era?

My suspicion is that Khamzat gets a lot of money from the Russian oligarchs like Kadyrov and now Pavel Durov. Compared to the amount of money he will get to defend his belt, especially in the non-PPV era as you mentioned, I'm sure he's not exactly financially motivated to keep active. He almost certainly makes more money just by holding the belt.

 

[Ozze]

Chimaev is so fucking tiring...

Dude never fights and just spends his day posting videos of preteding to take random fighters down when he encouters them or talking shit on social media.

From wolf to diva in a split second.

 

[skylolow]

The problem is the UFC. They often keep big and expensive stars in the waiting position. If the ufc would demand at least 2 title defense matches per champ per year they would 100% defend twice a year

I think the UFC would love if they could get every champ to fight twice a year. It makes their job easier and makes them more money. I think the stalling more times than not is on the fighters side not the UFC's side.

 

[ejazahmednit]

Okay, lets have the first defence atleast within 2026 H1