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The former UFC double champ and Hall of Famer, Daniel Cormier, has labeled Khamzat Chimaev as the biggest loser of the UFC 278 where Leon Edwards knocked out Kamaru Usman with a stunning head kick to win the UFC welterweight title. But Rocky’s surprise win has put the Swede title shot in doubt.
Khamzat Chimaev is set to face Nate Diaz in the main event at UFC 279 on Saturday, September 10th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chimaev is currently unbeaten inside the cage. In his last outing, Borz defeated the #4 ranked welterweight contender Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision at UFC 273 while Nate Diaz prepares for the last match of his contract. Since his loss in a rematch against the Notorious Conor McGregor, he only managed to beat Anthony Pettis while getting dropped by Jorge Masvidal and Leon Edwards in his last battles.
Cormier is one of just four double champs in UFC history. Now retired and in the UFC Hall of Fame, Cormier works as an analyst and commentator for the UFC. While breaking down Chimaev's upcoming UFC main event against Nate Diaz on his show 3 Rounds with DC, Cormier, he urged that Khamzat should have stayed for the championship fight rather than stepping in against Nate Diaz. Cormier thinks that now Chimaev might need one more win after Diaz for his shot for the welterweight gold.
“I think last weekend he did not understand that he was the biggest loser in the Usman vs. Leon situation because he was in line,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “All he had to do was get past Diaz. All he had to do, was get past Diaz, you fight for the championship, but with Leon Edwards winning now, now we got a trilogy, and rightfully so.
He continued by questioning the purpose of the UFC 279 headliner,
"That leads to the question, what is this fight for? I feel like for Diaz, this fight is for legacy. I feel like, for Chimaev, this is just another scalp on his resume because I don't know if this win necessarily puts him closer than he already is to a championship fight. And, because of the result last weekend, he'll need one more. I just wonder who that one more is going to come against. If he beats Diaz, does he get Covington next?"
UFC President has already announced a trilogy fight with Kamaru Usman would be the first title defense for Leon Edwards. This news doesn’t rule in favor of Chimaev hence delaying his inevitable title shot. White was interested in putting Chimaev against Colby Covington first. Covington has not competed since his win against a best friend turned foe Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272.
An assault was conducted at a Miami Beach restaurant by Jorge Masvidal on Covington just after weeks of their fight, halted the plans of his early return in the octagon. According to a police report, Covington fractured a tooth and suffered a wrist abrasion. Chimaev has already called out Covington in the past, and particularly if Edwards remains the champion, the two could face off in a match for the next title contender.
Edwards' victory has put the rest of the division's title hopes on hold, as Usman is the most deserving opponent of his first title defense. While Edwards wishes to give a chance for the gold to Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz if both manage to win their next fight.