Khamzat Chimaev has hit back at Ronda Rousey after she criticized the UFC. The UFC middleweight champion also took shots at Nate Diaz while looking ahead to his first title defence.
Chimaev responds to Rousey
Chimaev spoke on his YouTube channel and said Rousey would not be the star she became without the UFC. He said, “There never would have been Ronda Rousey without the UFC.”
He added: “I hate this. If they pay good or they don’t pay good, who cares? When she was Olympic champ, what did she make then?”
The comment about Rousey being an “Olympic champ” is not accurate. Ronda Rousey won a bronze medal in judo at the 2008 Olympics, becoming the first American to medal in that event. Rousey has said in the past that chasing her Olympic dream did not bring financial security, and she has spoken about hard times before she moved into MMA and became a top UFC star.
On Nate Diaz and past fights
Chimaev also criticised Nate Diaz ahead of Diaz’s next fight. He mentioned the way Rory MacDonald handled Diaz in their fight and used a colourful image to describe it. “He throws him there, threw him here. He threw him everywhere like spaghetti,” Chimaev said, referring to MacDonald’s performance.
Diaz is scheduled to fight Mike Perry in the co-main event of the Rousey vs. Carano event on Netflix next month. Chimaev’s comments add to the ongoing debate among fighters and fans about past performances and current status.
Chimaev’s upcoming title defence
Chimaev is set to defend his UFC 185 lb title for the first time against Sean Strickland at UFC 328 on May 9. This will be Chimaev’s first defence of that title.
Both men will come into the fight looking to prove themselves at 185 pounds. The match is a key spot on the UFC calendar and will be watched closely by fans and analysts.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Khamzat Chimaev | Set to defend UFC 185 lb title at UFC 328 on May 9 |
| Sean Strickland | Challenger for UFC 185 lb title at UFC 328 on May 9 |
Chimaev’s remarks bring more attention to disputes over fighter pay and promotion decisions. Rousey’s move to rival promotion MVP earlier this year and her vocal criticism of the UFC have sparked debate across the sport. Meanwhile, Chimaev is focused on his next fight and defending his title.
All information in this article is reported by UFCcoverage.
