Khamzat Chimaev’s coach: “If Khamzat had problems with cardio, he would not have beaten Burns”

Khamzat Chimaev’s head coach Andreas Michael does not agree with those who call his fighter unendurable.

“Imagine if you’re running a 3K at 100 paces,” Michael told The MMA Hour. – Every 100 meters you give all your best. What will happen? You will be tired ahead of time. Khamzat invested in every punch from the very beginning, he really wanted to knock him out. He wanted to show everyone, here I am, I’m here to demolish it. But Burns didn’t just end up in a cage. Those who are on the second line of the rating, the first, champions – they are there because they are tough. They are tough and therefore need to be respected.

When you understand this, and this comes with experience, you have the patience to work in such a situation. And if you have that patience, that’s when you can finish your opponent in the 1st or 2nd round. If Khamzat didn’t have stamina, he wouldn’t have won this fight. Everyone goes through tests. Why now no one remembers that Makhachev was knocked out in the 1st round at the tournament where Alexander fought Cormier? Why does no one remember the Khabib-Tibau fight?

Everyone goes through trials, and how you endure them shows what kind of fighter you are. Under no circumstances have we lost this duel. And I don’t understand how they count meaningful hits. Is hitting a block a meaningful hit? Khamzat blocked a bunch of his punches. In boxing, for example, punches to the block are not considered significant.

On April 9, Chimaev defeated Gilbert Burns via unanimous decision at UFC 273.