The concept of champion vs champion superfights has always been the holy grail of MMA. These dream matchups pit the best fighters from different weight classes against each other. Fans go absolutely crazy for these because they answer age-old questions about who would win between elite fighters who might never cross paths otherwise. The UFC has delivered some legendary champion vs champion bouts over the years, from BJ Penn moving up to challenge Matt Hughes to Conor McGregor’s historic two-division run.<\/p>
Khamzat Chimaev has quickly established himself as one of the most dominant forces in modern MMA since his explosive UFC debut. The undefeated Swedish-Chechen fighter recently captured his first UFC title by putting on an absolute clinic against Dricus du Plessis at UFC<\/a> 319 in Chicago. That performance was so one-sided that some fans actually criticized Chimaev for not trying harder to finish his opponent, though most were simply amazed by his complete dominance. The new middleweight champion nearly scored a perfect shutout against a fighter who had successfully defended the belt twice and boasted a perfect 9-0 UFC record before their encounter.<\/p> Light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev has thrown down an intriguing challenge that could lead to one of the biggest superfights in recent memory. The Dagestani titleholder recently told Ushatayka that he would welcome Chimaev with open arms if the new middleweight king decided to test himself at 205 pounds. Ankalaev’s invitation was both respectful and confident. He essentially siad that anyone who wants to move up and challenge his division is always welcome to try their luck.<\/p> “If someone wants to move up and test my weight class, I always say ‘Welcome’. If [Khamzat Chimaev] moves up, he moves up. No problem.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>Magomed Ankalaev Opens The Door For Light Heavyweight Challenge<\/h2>