A lot has been said about the performance of Khamzat Chimaev in his last fight against Gilbert Burns. Many fans believe that Chimaev was exposed by Burns at UFC 273.
On the other hand, some fans believe that Chimaev could have won the fight easily had he followed a good game plan instead of getting into a brawl.
Well, in a recent interview with ESPN MMA, coach Andreas Michael reveals what went wrong with Khamzat Chimaev’s performance at UFC 273.
After a few minutes into the first round, Andreas Michael realized that Chimaev was in for a long night against Burns. Michael explained that he did not want Chimaev to go for a takedown against Burns. Instead, he wanted Khamzat Chimaev to use his jab and fight smartly. Coach Andreas stated:
“I didn’t even want him to go for the takedown in the beginning. once he went for the takedown I turned around to the coaches and said this is going to be a long night. I knew it from there. Because his mindset was not what we trained. His mindset was that he was going to go in there and destroy that guy.”
Though Coach Andreas Michael was not happy with how Khamzat Chimaev vs Gilbert Burns played out he was pleased to see Chimaev prove the doubters wrong by displaying his durability and cardio. He also stated:
“It was frustrating. But, at the same time, he is a warrior and he showed a lot of stuff that a lot of people were doubting as well. You can’t make everyone happy.”
Coach Andreas Michael reveals the original gameplay for Khamzat Chimaev vs Gilbert Burns
Moreover, Andreas Michael revealed that the original plan for Khamzat Chimaev vs Gilbert Burns was to secure a finish inside the first rounds. Revealing the gameplan, he stated:
“I was absolutely not satisfied. Because I think that an easy evening turned out.. all he needed to do is throw the jab and sometimes the right hand. And I think it would have been done in two rounds. Just keep the distance, don’t fall into the shot so you don’t get caught with the hooks.”
Despite all the criticism Chimaev has received for his fight against Burns at UFC 273, it can not be denied that he is a legit title contender in the welterweight division.
However, beating the champion, Kamaru Usman with a similar game plan can be a risky affair for Khamzat Chimaev. As Chimaev goes on to fight the top 2 welterweights such as Usman and Covington, he has to put on his best performance.
