KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)
Alan Nascimento, the coach of Khamzat Chimaev for nine years, has defended his fighter’s grappling-heavy performance in Sunday’s title victory over Dricus du Plessis in Chicago, saying the approach was deliberate and decisive.
A record 549 strikes and 12 takedowns by Chimaev in the middleweight main bout made for an anti-climax for those expecting fireworks.
“People who understand jiu-jitsu, grappling and wrestling know how dominant Khamzat was,” Nascimento said in an exclusive interview with Aletihad on arrival at the Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. “We are not there to entertain anyone, we are there to win the fight and bring the belt to the UAE. That was our mission and we accomplished it.”
Chimaev, who became the UAE’s first UFC champion, completely suffocated Du Plessis and neutralised his game-plan. “We studied him for more than six months. The idea was to isolate his power and take away his style,” Nascimento said. “When the game-plan works, it makes the fight look easy.” The coach credited Chimaev’s relocation to Abu Dhabi about 18 months ago as a turning point in his career. “Since we moved to the UAE, everything has become easier with the support the country provides. I knew we would bring the belt,” he said.
However, Nascimento confirmed that Chimaev has been carrying injuries, including a broken hand sustained in his fight with Kamaru Usman and a longstanding knee problem. “Now that he’s champion, we don’t need to rush. His health is the priority. When fully fit, he can deliver the performances fans love to see,” he noted.
According to Nascimento, the winner of September’s bout between Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho will be the challenger to Chimaev, so October looks very unlikely. “Whoever deserves the title shot, we are ready,” he said.