Should Khamzat Chimaev defends his MW title at least a couple times before moving up to challenge for the LHW belt?

[mraa1]

Hate seeing champs move up immediately but MW is a wasteland, not that LHW is any better. I guess I just don't care either way in his case.

 

[JBJ was here]

Hate seeing champs move up immediately but MW is a wasteland, not that LHW is any better. I guess I just don't care either way in his case.

Champs moving divisions only makes the wasteland problem worse, especially these days when fighting twice a year is active.

 

[Benoitthegr8]

This should be the common practice, unfortunately the UFC has in the past made exceptions which has emboldened fighters to think it’s okay. McGregor was the worst of all, Topuria at least defended before moving for an interim title fight because Islam moved up after several defenses, which is more understandable. In all honesty I never liked fighters moving an leaving uncertainty in the class they left, besides muddying the water in the class they moved up to.

 

[Alpha_T83]

I strongly suspect Pereira will immediately move up to heavyweight. There's nothing left for him at 205 pounds. The best fight is Jiri who he's already KO'd twice. Ulberg isn't worth Pereira's time right now. So more than likely we see Periera fight Jones or the Gane/Aspinall winner.

That means Khamzat will have an opportunity to move up and fight for the vacant 205 pound title. But I suspect the UFC will tell Khamzat to defend his middleweight belt first. At the very least he needs to beat Nassourdine and/or RDR.

 

[Conan the K-9]

Zero interest in this matchup.
We already saw how hazmat fights, when he has a big and dangerous opponent in front of him. No one wants to see him try to put up that type of bore fest ever again.

 

[jsbx45]

Who says he has to move up?

 

[chillyoo]

He’s not active enough to go up in weight.

 

[JKS]

I barely see any interest in him fighting at LHW. And I don't think it's a good move, those boys hit pretty dam hard and are bigger. I don't think he'll handle the power too well.