Johnny Eblen: Dricus Du Plessis going to make Khamzat Chimaev 'look human' at UFC 319
Johnny Eblen is not completely sold on Khamzat Chimaev.
Elben, the last Bellator middleweight champion currently signed with PFL, doesn't think the Chechen fighter will win the UFC middleweight crown when he faces champion Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC 319 on Aug. 16. Chimaev has been quite the force in his UFC run, quickly going through most of his opposition in dominant fashion.
However, Elben has seen glimpses of Chimaev that makes him believe it will be "and still" come UFC 319.
"He's not (the boogie man), though. He's just a guy," Eblen told MMA Junkie Radio. "He's just a human. Gilbert (Burns) made him look human, (Kamaru) Usman made him look human, and I think DDP is going to make him look human. Plus DDP is like a big, physical guy. I don't think Khamzat is just going to manhandle him. Plus, (Khamzat's) cardio is a little questionable. I don't think DDP's cardio is as questionable. He gets tired, but he still has a lot of output. Like watching Chimaev vs. Usman in the third round, he was looking pretty tired. And Gilbert, but he fought Gilbert like an idiot. He was really dumb. He was letting him up and trying to be exciting, I think, and you can do that with Gilbert. Also, Gilbert is pretty good off his back, especially round that time."
Apart from not truly being sold on Chimaev, Eblen also thinks that the South African champion walks in with something valuable that Chimaev doesn't possess – championship experience.
"I like DDP's chances just because the guys he's fought and the rounds he's put in," Eblen said. "Chimaev hasn't. Not to say it's going to be easy, Chimaev is very, very tough, but I think DDP has more, he's just more of a veteran when it comes to five-round fights, and tough fights, and he's fought middleweight this whole time. Chimaev is just kind of coming up."
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