Khamzat Chimaev could struggle against Colby Covington, says UFC pundit Josh Thomson
- Heinrich Griessel
- 13 September 2022
MMA analyst Josh Thomson believes Colby Covington may be the man to stop Khamzat Chimaev's impressive run of victories in the Octagon.
Chimaev recorded another convincing win at UFC 279 last weekend as he submitted Kevin Holland with a Brabo choke in the first round of their bout.
'Borz' is now 12-0 in his MMA career, and 6-0 in the UFC, but Thomson reckons the Swede could meet his match if he ever squares up with the man known as 'Chaos'.
According to Thomson, Covington has the right tool kit to counter Chimaev's all-gas-no-brakes approach to fighting, due to his ability to stuff the takedown and absorb damage for long enough to tire out his opponent.
"Chimaev used a lot of energy in those first initial takedowns," said Thomson, as quoted by BJPenn.com.
"And even the commentary team was saying he's breathing heavy. He's one of those fighters that fights this way, and he's gonna realize how like a Michael Chandler, you're going to run into someone who can take everything you dish out.
"And what are you gonna do if you burn your gas, if you burn the candle on both ends?
"Chimaev is a good fighter. He's got a lot of great gifts. Fight IQ is not one of them.
"To me, one of those guys [who can trouble Chimaev] is Colby Covington. He's not the greatest guy on the feet, but his striking works for him.
"His style of standup, it looks horrible, but it works for him. And then you mix that with the ability to takedowns and stuff takedowns, and make you work, and his cardio - he's kind of a bad matchup. He's a bad matchup, I think, for Chimaev."
Covington boasts a 17-3 MMA record and most recently beat Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision after a five-round war at UFC 272.
