As UFC 319 draws closer, Khamzat Chimaev is deep in preparation for his long-awaited title shot against middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis. However, while fans anticipate a war, doubts about Chimaev’s cardio continue to surface.
The narrative around Chimaev’s conditioning isn’t new. Though the undefeated star bulldozed through names like Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman, questions remain about his ability to maintain a high pace across five rounds.
Against Usman at UFC 294, Chimaev’s gas tank was pushed, and although he pulled off a tight decision win, critics still point fingers.
Despite doubts from many in the MMA world. UFC Hall of Famer and analyst Chael Sonnen has come out swinging in defense of Chimaev, dismissing the cardio criticism as exaggerated and unfair.
“Chimaev has got to get him down,” Sonnen told MMA Junkie. “He can’t just go fight him anywhere. Then there’s a big question around Chimaev’s conditioning. I don’t know if that’s fair. We’ve seen Chimaev get exhausted. Fedor [Emelianenko] used to get exhausted, but he never stopped. It never slowed him down. And it’s the same thing with Chimaev.”
Chimaev has made adjustments heading into the UFC 319 main event. He linked up with former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw’s longtime conditioning coach to refine his endurance and embrace a long-game approach for his shot at gold. Sonnen sees that evolution, and he isn’t convinced the old criticisms still hold weight.
“I don’t think it’s fair to question his conditioning. I think he’s got a bunch of energy and he uses it all, which is what he’s supposed to do. That’s going to get tested and we are going to find out if that’s accurate,” Sonnen added. “I am also giving Dricus a lot better of a look than I was when Chimaev beat Whittaker and the fight got announced.”
Much like Chimaev, du Plessis came under fire early in his UFC run for cardio issues. However, after undergoing nasal surgery, the South African champion displayed a steadier pace in victories over Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland.
Now, both men enter UFC 319 with something to prove, not just in skills, but in stamina. Chimaev’s impressive start in the UFC earned him fast-track wins over top contenders, and now, the spotlight shifts to whether he can go the distance in a title fight. Despite the side talks, Charlie Sonnen refuses to let outdated narratives define Chimaev’s chances.
“He can’t just go fight him in any other way,” Sonnen said on The Bohnfire Podcast. “There’s this big question about Chimaev’s conditioning, and I don’t know if that’s fair. We’ve seen Chimaev get exhausted. But Fedor used to get exhausted, and he never stopped. It never slowed him down. And it’s the same thing with Chimaev.”
