Man of the moment
Is it me, or is everyone in MMA getting a bit carried away with the feats of Khamzat Chimaev?
I get Dana White being excited by the guy. We are in the middle of a pandemic. All his significant star (like Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Nat Diaz) can afford to sit on the sidelines and pick their moments to return to the sport.
The Chimaev 'narrative' has been a godsend for the UFC. He has literally "smashed" his first three opponents taking just three strikes in return. His first two fights were only ten days apart. He intends for a quick turnaround after his latest outing.
The UFC are billing him as, unlike anything we've ever seen in martial arts.
However, are people getting a little carried away too fast, too soon?
Little resistance
Chimaev's first two fights were against little known John Phillips and Rhys McKee.
Welshman Phillips had lost his first three fights in the UFC. His fourth fight against Alen Amedovski was 15 seconds of craziness. Both men stood in the centre of the Octagon and threw haymakers at each other. Phillips connected cleaner, and that was the end of that.
McKee was making his UFC debut and coming into the bout 10-2. He was untested in the big league.
Nothing in either men's record suggested they could deal with Chimaev grappling or the grappling of an established UFC middleweight with a solid wrestling base.
Phillips is ranked 50th in the UFC middleweight division.
McKee is ranked 70th in the UFC welterweight division.
Let's be real, Gerald Meerschaert didn't show up for the Chimaev fight.
Untested
That's to take nothing away from Chimaev. He expertly dismantled all three of his UFC opponents so far. However, when I hear people that should know better (like Daniel Cormier) talk about him being a double champion within a year?
GTFOH.
Have people forgotten who Usman and Adesanya are?
Let Chimaev earn his stripes. Right now, he is getting favourable matches to fast-track him to the top.
Let him fight a Michel Pereira, Alex Oliveira, Mike Perry, Belal Muhammad, Gunnar Nelson, or Geoff Neal before a top 15 welterweight.
Match him up with someone like Kevin Holland, Marvin Vettori, or Edmen Shahbazyan before serving him up to the middleweight elite.
A test is what Chimaev needs.
More of the same
The UFC has reportedly scheduled a Demian Maia fight. The Maia fight should be a lay-up for Chimaev. You would expect someone with Chimaev's striking and grappling to beat an aging Maia.
The UFC seems determined to fast-track Chimaev. If they can emerge from the pandemic period with a new global superstar, it would be an unexpected bonus for the organisation during the most difficult of periods.
However, there is reason to be cautious. We've seen what happens when the UFC tries to fast-track and over-hype fighters. They pushed Sage Northcutt, Paige VanZant, before they were ready.
Johnny Walker is the most recent example of the dangers of expecting too much too soon.
Walker took the UFC by storm with three first-round finishes in his first three fights. Wins against fighters with better credentials than what Chimaev has fought. People were talking about Walker being the man to dethrone Jon Jones. He was fast-tracked into a fight with Corey Anderson, who finished him in the first round.
Walker hasn't looked like the same force in the Octagon since.
For me, the jury is out until he faces stiff competition. He hasn't even had his whiskers tested, let alone given a "gut check."
If Chimaev is the next global superstar in MMA, it will happen; it doesn't need manufacturing. Let him come through some stern tests before getting carried away.