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Dana White is happy to discuss a potential fight between former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and surging star Khamzat Chimaev, but only under one condition.
Earlier this week, Usman pitched the idea of a fight with Chimaev, while also adding that he would “potentially” move up to middleweight to make it happen.
White appeared on The Jim Rowe Show on Thursday and was asked about the matchup, and for it to have the chance of happening, Usman’s “potentially” would have to change to a “definitely.”
“What I hate about that fight and [Usman] calling him out, Usman is calling him out at a catchweight — I don’t do catchweights, I don’t like catchweights,” White said. “Catchweights mean nothing. They mean absolutely nothing.”
“If [Usman] wants to move up to 185 and fight [Chimaev], we could talk about it. But trying to fight him at a catchweight, I’m not interested in.”
Usman has dropped his past two outings to current 170-pound champion Leon Edwards, losing the welterweight title via shocking fifth-round knockout at UFC 278, and then dropping a decision in their rematch at UFC 286 in March.
Chimaev hasn’t competed since his UFC 279 first-round submission win over Kevin Holland in September, where “Borz” missed weight by 7.5 pounds for his scheduled main event bout with Nate Diaz which led to multiple fights being shuffled around. The 29-year-old is expected to move up to middleweight for the foreseeable future and hopes to compete at the UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi in October.
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