ABU DHABI – UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa would be happy to fight Khamzat Chimaev when the time is right – but that time has not yet arrived. Like his fellow ranked top-10 welterweights Leon Edwards and Stephen Thompson, Chiesa (17-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) isn’t interested in fighting Chimaev (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) until the Russian takes another step up in the division’s ladder. “You’ve got to think about it like this,” Chiesa told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Wednesday. “He beats a guy, like a veteran – let’s say, theoretically, he beats a ‘Wonderboy.’ Now, it’s lucrative. Now, it’s like, ‘Hell yeah.’ Now, he’s proven he’s the real thing.” Right now, the risk outweighs the reward when it comes to a fighter with the skills of Chimaev, explained Chiesa.
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Michael Chiesa: Risk of Khamzat Chimaev matchup outweighs reward for ranked fighters – MMA Junkie