Skip to main content

Robert Whittaker thinks Khamzat Chimaev is a 'terrible fight' for Colby Covington

Robert Whittaker doesn’t give Colby Covington too much of a chance in a fight with Khamzat Chimaev.

With UFC president Dana White saying Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) vs. Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) could serve as a co-main event to a potential trilogy bout between champion Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, Whittaker thinks Chimaev would have his way with Covington.

Whittaker pointed to Covington’s two losses to ex-champ Kamaru Usman in which he was knocked down multiple times in what were predominantly kickboxing fights between two elite wrestlers.

“Stylistically, fight-wise, I think that’s a terrible fight for Colby,” Whittaker told Submission Radio. “Terrible. Because you saw with Usman that anyone Colby can’t just relentlessly spam takedowns on, it becomes a kickboxing fight and a striking match. And I think Covington’s great at what he does, but he’s not a kickboxer, he’s not a striker by trade. That doesn’t come naturally to him.

“His pressure style and wrestling style is what comes naturally to him. Khamzat can counter-wrestle Colby. He’s a big dude with long range and a lot of reach, and his striking is nothing ridiculously crazy, but it’s put together at a high level. And he integrates that with the threat of his wrestling and grappling takedowns stupendously. So, I think Khamzat for Colby is a bad matchup.”

When Chimaev was asked about a potential fight with Whittaker after his UFC 279 win over Kevin Holland, he said he’d rather train with him than fight him. And Whittaker is all for the idea.

“I don’t know him personally, like, his character or anything like that, but skill-wise and the skill sets he brings into the octagon when he fights, they’re very high caliber, high tier,” Whittaker said. “And I am a believer that iron sharpens iron. And if me and him got together and started working on our skillsets and mentalities, it’s a scary prospect, isn’t it?”

He continued, “I’m not gonna rule it out. There’s all possibility in the world at this point that I could one day get together with him and train.”

Perhaps Whittaker could link up with Chimaev ahead of his pivotal middleweight clash with Paulo Costa on Feb. 12 at UFC 284 on Feb. 12 in Perth, Australia.



from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/UHdtBCO
via IFTTT
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Drew Dober offers to be Michael Chandler's warm-up fight for Conor McGregor

LAS VEGAS – If Michael Chandler wants to step into the cage before his long-awaited matchup against Conor McGregor, Drew Dober has his hand raised. Dober (26-12 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returns to action on the main card of UFC Fight Night 229 to face Ricky Glenn (22-7-2 MMA, 4-4-1 UFC). While he isn’t looking past his upcoming opponent, Dober has threw his name in the hat should Chandler get tired of waiting around for McGregor to commit to a fight date. “He’s definitely waiting for Conor, I’m still unsure if Conor’s going to ever show up,” Dober told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “If he wants a 5-foot-9 southpaw to get him warmed up for that fight, I’m absolutely available. He’s just got to let me know when he wants to do it.” Dober, a lightweight competitor, is willing to move up in weight to face Chandler, even though the two fighters share the same weight class. “He said he’s 190 pounds right now? I can fight him at 170,” Dober said. “I’m here for the excitement and he brings ...
Read more

Henry Cejudo: 'I still don't see Sean O'Malley as the best in the world' ahead of UFC 299

Henry Cejudo is not sold on Sean O'Malley as UFC bantamweight champion. O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) knocked out Aljamain Sterling to become 135-pound champion at UFC 292, whereas Cejudo is coming off a close title loss to Sterling at UFC 288 . O’Malley will make his first title defense against Marlon Vera in the UFC 299 headliner on March 9, and Cejudo is still adamant that “Chito” beats O’Malley again – despite being a sizable underdog. “I still don’t see Sean O’Malley as the best in the world,” Cejudo said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel . “I don’t. I do believe ‘Chito’ Vera is going to beat him. You have good defense, you walk that dude down, you kick his freaking legs – he still has that wide leg – you kick his legs, you just bring the fight to him and grit. “This is what Sean O’Malley will do: He’ll look at the clock because he throws a lot of power. He is precise, but he throws a lot of it. I would bet the house on ‘Chito.’ Once I beat Merab (Dvalishvili), I’m goi...
Read more

Tatiana Suarez targets drop to strawweight next, lists Rose Namajunas as potential opponent

LAS VEGAS – Tatiana Suarez is set on a move back to strawweight, despite having a successful return at 125 pounds. Suarez made her long-awaited return to competition Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 220. Suarez (9-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC), who hadn’t competed in nearly four years due to a series of injuries, submitted Montana De La Rosa (12-8-1 MMA, 5-4-1 UFC) in a women’s flyweight bout. But despite picking up a dominant win at 125 pounds, as well as a $50,000 bonus, Suarez is determined to return to her original weight class and resume a title run. “I think they should give me a really good opponent at strawweight, and I’ll earn it,” Suarez told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 220 post-fight press conference. “I’ve never been given anything in my life. I’ve always earned it, and I don’t mind doing that because I think that builds character. You have to work for the things you want in your life. I don’t mind doing that because that’s how my mom and grandma raised me. “I’...
Read more