Alexander Gustafsson says training partner Khamzat Chimaev is a future UFC champion – ‘gonna go all the way’
- ‘He’s my main sparring partner right now, he pushes me all day,’ reveals ‘The Mauler’, ahead of move up to heavyweight at UFC Fight Island 3
- Chechen-born Swede Chimaev taking his second UFC fight in 10 days this weekend after stunning debut in Abu Dhabi
As he chases his own title dreams in a new division, Alexander Gustafsson has made a stir by boldly stating training partner and newly-minted UFC debutant Khamzat Chimaev will be a future world champion.
Chimaev earned one of the handful of 10-7 rounds in UFC history, on an official judge’s scorecard, in his utterly dominant second-round submission defeat of Welsh veteran John Phillips at UFC Fight Island 1 last week.
The 26-year-old rag-dolled Phillips on the ground and landed 143 total strikes, while only absorbing two. So one-sided was the display that Dana White and the UFC’s matchmakers obliged the Chechen-born Swede’s wish for a 10-day turnaround to fight again at this weekend’s UFC Fight Island 3 card.
“Down in weight is much better for me. I want to be champion at welterweight, I’m going to be champion in that,” he said after his win. “I never felt in trouble, I do this with all my opponents, I smash them all, first round, second round. I have seven wins, seven finishes. I could fight next week if they have. I told them, give me Donald Cerrone, if they give me, it’d be an amazing fight for me. I’m gonna smash him and everybody going to talk about it.”
Well, White wasn’t quite able to get “Cowboy” Cerrone, but Northern Ireland’s Cage Warriors stand-out Rhys McKee, 24, has received a call-up to the UFC to face Khimaev, after three straight finishes in the British-based promotion. One thing’s for sure – it’ll be a daunting welcome against a fighter being likened to Khabib Nurmagomedov, but with better striking. Chimaev is signed to the same management company as the UFC lightweight champion, Ali Abdelaziz’s Dominance MMA.
“Very good, he’s a future world champ for sure,” said Gustafsson, who trains out of Allstars Gym in Stockholm with Chimaev. “He loves this, this is his life. He’s gonna go all the way. He’s my main sparring partner right now. He pushes me all day.”
After twice coming up short against light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, the 33-year-old Gustafsson has reversed his hasty decision to retire last year, and will be making his debut at heavyweight this weekend against former champ Fabricio Werdum.
“I missed the competition. For me to train good, I need a goal. For me that’s competition, it came naturally to me to come back, he said. “This felt like the best way for me to come back. I’m a pretty big guy so heavyweight for me it comes very naturally.
“I’m here to win my fights and just take it from there. When I’m in a situation where I can touch the belt, then we go for the belt. For now it’s one fight at a time. When we beat Werdum, then we take the next one. He’s a legend of the sport. It’s a perfect way to come back.”
