bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Martial Arts

UFC president Dana White is more impressed than ever by surging welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev.
Chimaev returned to the Octagon on the main card of UFC 273 on Saturday night in Jacksonville, Florida, where he took on former title challenger Gilbert Burns.
The Chechen-Swede was a massive betting favourite heading into the bout, and was widely expected to blow past Burns.
In the end, however, the 27-year-old scraped by the Brazilian with a hard-fought unanimous decision after a thrilling three-round slugfest. It was the first time in his career he failed to win by stoppage.


“It’s one of the best fights I’ve ever seen,” White said at the UFC 273 post-fight press conference, adding that he will pay Burns his win money despite his loss to Chimaev. “It’s one of the coolest fights I’ve ever been to.”
Chimaev’s win over Burns seems to have polarised fans and pundits. Some believe it affirmed his status as one of the best welterweights alive. Others believe it was proof that he was getting more hype than he deserved.
White falls decisively into the first category.

“Think about this: When was the last time you saw a guy come out of nowhere – nobody knows who he is, comes out of nowhere – then fights the No 2-ranked guy in the world and wins,” White said.
“When you get into the top-5 in the UFC, it’s no joke man, and especially in that [welterweight] division. That division is straight killers. Tonight was a big test for him and he passed.”
“You can’t train in the gym for what happened tonight,” White added. “I’m sure this week he had a lot of pressure on him, a lot of anxiety. Who knows how well he slept last night?

“I’m sure there was huge adrenaline dump after that first round. This is s*** you can’t train for. You either make it through or you don’t. He made it through with flying colours.”
In fact, White believes anybody who is questioning Chimaev after his hard-fought victory over Burns has lost touch with reality.
“He’s human,” the UFC boss said. “Any a****** [that doubted him] doesn’t think the kid’s human. He’s a human being, and he just beat the No 2 welterweight in the world in the UFC, with a couple of fights in the UFC. If you don’t think he’s the real deal, you’re out of your mind.”
UFC 273: White says judges ‘blew that one’ in Yan’s loss to Sterling
Heading into UFC 273, Chimaev (11-0) was perched at No 11 in the promotion’s welterweight rankings. After beating Burns, he will rocket into the division’s top 5, presumably stealing his foe’s roost at No 2.
White isn’t sure who the undefeated star will fight next, but believes he will be a more sought-after opponent than ever after looking human against Burns.
“All these other guys who didn’t want to fight him before I’m sure are looking at him differently too,” he said.


UFC: Song Yadong offers to show Sean Strickland around China after fighter’s ‘toxic’ slurs

Qatar sovereign wealth fund reportedly in US$50m funding round for ONE Championship backers

Trump’s lewd, crude, hyper-macho attitude is winning him the ‘manosphere’

Unstoppable: Asia’s first female UFC champion Zhang Weili’s story told in gripping new documentary

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

UFC 273: Dana White says Khamzat Chimaev ‘made it through with flying colours’; will pay Gilbert Burns his win money

Khamzat Chimaev reacts after his decision victory over Gilbert Burns in their welterweight fight at UFC 273. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Khamzat Chimaev punches Gilbert Burns of Brazil in their welterweight bout at UFC 273. Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images/AFP 

Gilbert Burns punches Khamzat Chimaev in a welterweight bout at UFC 273. Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images/AFP

UFC 273: Aljamain Sterling blasts ‘dirty’ TJ Dillashaw – ‘I can’t wait to punch him in the face’

Aljamain Sterling celebrates after beating Petr Yan by decision at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images/AFP

TJ Dillashaw reacts after losing to Henry Cejudo by TKO in 2019. Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP

UFC 273: Dana White says judges ‘blew that one’ in Petr Yan’s loss to Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling celebrates after defeating Petr Yan in their UFC bantamweight championship fight at UFC 273. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Petr Yan punches Aljamain Sterling at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Khamzat Chimaev’s failure to finish Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 is the best thing for his career

Khamzat Chimaev looks on after his welterweight fight against Gilbert Burns at UFC 273. Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images/AFP

Gilbert Burns punches Khamzat Chimaev in their welterweight bout at UFC 273 in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images/AFP

Khamzat Chimaev punches Gilbert Burns. Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images/AFP

UFC 273: Alex Volkanovski defends featherweight title with standing TKO win over ‘Korean Zombie’

Alex Volkanovski celebrates after his victory over ‘The Korean Zombie’ Jung Chan-sung in their UFC featherweight championship fight ay UFC 273. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Alex Volkanovski punches ‘The Korean Zombie’ at UFC 273. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Alex Volkanovski punches ‘The Korean Zombie’ Jung Chan-sung en route to a fourth-round TKO at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on April 9, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

UFC 273: Khamzat Chimaev scrapes by Gilbert Burns in wild welterweight battle

Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev  trade punches in their welterweight fight at UFC 273. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev embrace after their welterweight fight at UFC 273. Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Sport

Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts


Chimaev defeats Burns by hard-fought unanimous decision, failing to score a finish for the first time in his career
‘If you don’t think he’s the real deal, you’re out of your mind,’ UFC president White says of undefeated welterweight contender



Khamzat Chimaev ‘made it through with flying colours’ says UFC president Dana White, who will still pay Gilbert Burns his win money despite loss.


UFC 273: Dana White says Khamzat Chimaev ‘made it through with flying colours’; will pay Gilbert Burns his win money

Chimaev defeats Burns by hard-fought unanimous decision, failing to score a finish for the first time in his career ‘If you don’t think he’s the real deal, you’re out of your mind,’ UFC president White says of undefeated welterweight contender

Chimaev defeats Burns by hard-fought unanimous decision, failing to score a finish for the first time in his career

‘If you don’t think he’s the real deal, you’re out of your mind,’ UFC president White says of undefeated welterweight contender