Khamzat Chimaev praised by Dana White ahead of comeback fight at UFC 267

UFC welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev was praised by UFC president Dana White ahead of his comeback fight this Saturday at UFC 267.

Chimaev has not fought in over a year since he knocked out Gerald Meerschaert in September 2020. Following that win, which was Chimaev’s third straight victory in the Octagon, the promotion booked him against Leon Edwards in what would have been a No. 1 contender fight at welterweight. However, Chimaev was forced to withdraw from the Edwards fight due to contracting COVID-19. In fact, he actually retired from the sport for some time citing his illness, though he eventually was able to recover and return to action.

This Saturday at UFC 267, Chimaev makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon when he takes on top-ranked welterweight contender Li Jingliang. This should be a very good test to see where Chimaev stacks up against the top-15 fighters in the 170lbs weight class, and a win over Jingliang could put the hype train back on the tracks after it goes run off the rails.

Speaking to The Mac Life ahead of UFC 267, White praised Chimaev, saying that he is still a huge star based on the numbers and that he is excited to see how he looks in the cage.

“Yeah, it’s interesting to see, because he burst onto the scene and became a huge fan favorite. Even yesterday, in 20 minutes, his staredown with Li did one million views. People love this guy. It’s going to be interesting to see how he bounces back after such a bad run from COVID-19,” White said.

Chimaev is one of the biggest betting favorites on the UFC 267 card and he is fully expected to defeat Jingliang. If he gets by him, look for the UFC to fast-track him again.

Do you think Khamzat Chimaev will defeat Li Jingliang in his return to the Octagon?