Anthony Smith thinks Khamzat Chimaev is unbeatable – if the battle stays within the first spherical.
Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) faces Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) in a middleweight title eliminator which headlines UFC on ABC 6 on June 22 at Kingdom Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Chimaev continues to be undefeated, however hasn’t seemed as dominant as of late. He’s gotten off to good begins in latest wins over Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman, however slowed down because the battle progressed. Smith says within the first 5 minutes of a battle, he’d take Chimaev over anybody.
“I’m an actual large believer in Khamzat, I actually am,” Smith mentioned on his “Consider You Me” podcast with Michael Bisping. “I feel the man’s unbelievable. But when we’re simply being important, first spherical. I feel Khamzat can beat anyone throughout any weight class, I don’t give a sh*t who it’s.
“Anyone on the earth, he can beat within the first spherical. We begin entering into the second, third, fourth, fifth – the Gilbert Burns battle is an ideal instance. If that battle goes one other two rounds, (he’d be in bother). … First spherical, monster.”
Nonetheless, Smith isn’t too positive of Chimaev’s possibilities towards former champion Whittaker in what would be the first five-round battle of his profession.
“Whittaker received’t get drained, and that’s my sticking level,” Smith mentioned. “If he can do plenty of large harm early within the first spherical, second spherical, and sort of compromise Whittaker early, then I feel he can cruise. If he paces himself early, now he’s not the Khamzat we’re used to. He’s not as efficient. So I don’t know. I hate to say it, however I lean Whittaker.”
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