Video
Original Description
Khamzat Chimaev sat down with Brett Okamoto ahead of his #UFC319 main event title fight vs. Dricus Du Plessis.
0:00 Introduction
1:47 Training in California
4:05 Preparation for #UFC319
6:58 Competing against Robert Whittaker
9:46 Thoughts on Dricus Du Plessis
12:19 Priorities pre-fight
15:25 Chimaev's motivation
16:25 Potential retirement
19:51 Is Chimaev scared to fight anyone?
21:20 What would retirement look like?
26:10 Chimaev's family life
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Video Transcript
Well, Hamzad, here we are. UFC fight
week. We're in the United States and uh
it is your favorite part of this whole
process is talking about yourself,
giving interviews, sitting in front of
the camera, right? You've been looking
forward to this,
but I usually don't like to do so much
interviews, but
like more fighting.
How come, man? I mean, do you do you at
least understand why people want to hear
from you? Do you understand it?
Yeah, of course. Of course. Because when
you're famous when uh a lot of things
going around you so people wants to hear
uh when you're talking what mindset you
has and how's your life you know well I
mean especially for you though I mean
you're right it's all famous people but
do you do you acknowledge that you have
done something pretty special that where
you come from and then what you've been
through and then even like from the time
you signed from the UFC and then getting
to this opportunity do you recognize
that like I am very special. This is why
people want to hear how I how I do this
like the I am a special person. Do you
do you want do you recognize that?
Yeah, maybe. But so I'm still stay
because has to be humble uh in life but
in the cage man going crazy. Uh
that's good good for the young young
boys like being grow up like me tough
time no money nothing you know. So come
up from bottom to up here. So maybe good
picture for them to for them could be a
good special picture.
UFC 319 is going to be in Chicago, but
we're in Huntington Beach where you're
training for about a month before you go
to Chicago. How did that end up that
that you came out to California before
this? Uh Armon Arman Sarukan UC fighter
you know so I know him uh in the last
two years we train together so he told
me about the coaches about the gym
everything is good here for training
camp in US so I've been in Vegas couple
of times I didn't like it weather and
there's good gyms good coaches but they
like weather and recovery wasn't that
good so it's too hot for me it's not
like that kind a place for training.
So, yeah, that's why I came. He he said
to me, "Come here, so we'll make you
ready for the fight." I feel like, you
know, I've gotten um the opportunity to
be around you for years. I feel like
years ago, maybe in Southern California,
you would have you would have enjoyed
the the car with the top off and driving
around and having people recognize you
and going shopping and and everything
else. And then your team now tells me
that you barely leave the house. Is it
is it different? I mean, I know you say
you're the same Hamza, but you're a
little different, too.
Yeah, but it's it's hard to go out to
the people, you know. I like the people
when they loves me and they come forth
and they take a pictures and stuff, but
this fight for me has to be ready, don't
get sick and uh to show up to the fight
and gives to my fans the the thing they
love. So that's why I'm just said the
boys if we go to the mall if somebody
gets sick and he's he's big fan he's
going to come come for me and maybe we
get that sickness you know so has to be
has to be careful for that so that's why
I go out I go to the beach today as well
with you and the boys and
sometimes but better to stay home
prepare for a fight relax talk with my
family on the phone so yeah
and like you say this one is big. I
mean, I can remember sitting in the gym
with you 3 years ago talking about this
and I didn't think it was going to take
3 years
to get here. Does it feel different just
because of like we we've been waiting a
long time for this? I've been waiting a
long time for this. Have you? Like does
it feel like like I'm finally here? Does
it feel different?
Yeah, but that's that's pretty long
time. But still like I believe in God so
he has his plans but I had my plans like
in my man and like my man like just was
supposed to fight like two years ago for
the belt but
yeah but I'm I'm I'm happy I'm happy to
fighting right now.
and God will.
Have you been pretty happy throughout
this process or were there times where
it was you're it's good that you're
happy now and we're going into a title
fight, but there have been some dark
times leading up to this.
It's been it's been all the dark times
makes you a stronger man. So, I like to
be going through a lot of tough things.
Mhm.
You got this dream of of winning the UFC
championship when you were at work in
Sweden and you watched Conor McGregor
knock out Jose Aldo on TV. Um, I know
I've talked to you about this before,
but what do you remember about that? And
and are you that same guy like that that
stood there and watched that fight on TV
and thought I I could do that. I want to
do that. Like what's different?
Uh, nothing big different, but I'm right
now UC fighter. I wasn't that time a UFC
fighter. Like now I'm realize I can be a
champion. Now I know I I'm already
there. So at that time it was my dream
just maybe I should do that. So I could
do it. I going to try and went to try
and happen. You know, never try, never
know.
It was like 10, it was almost 10 years
ago. Does it feel like a long time ago
standing there and watching that fight?
Time's going fast, man.
It feels like was yesterday.
Yeah.
When you stood there and it feels like
yesterday and you watched Conor McGregor
knock him out in 13 seconds. Do you
think that is how you will win your UFC
championship or do you think your
destiny is a little different?
I'm a little bit different fighter like
um
Conor is a is more boxer and more
striking like you know counter puncher
uh but maybe maybe I'm not bad in
striking as well. So can happen
anything. Well, even if it's not
striking, if it's just uh if it's like
that, you know, do you think it's going
to be I mean, you've had to work so hard
to get here. Do you think that the final
step is going to be is going to be over
quickly or do you feel like there's
going to be a lot of adversity in this
fight? I going to go all in like always
does. So, we will see if it's going to
go fast.
It's going to be fast, but if it goes
for five rounds, I will be ready. I'm
fighting there five rounds. Mhm.
And in October last year when you fought
um Rob in Abu Dhabi, Robert Whitaker, uh
I talked to you in backstage and I was
like, did Robert even make a mistake or
was this just inevitable? Like could he
have even done anything different to
stop what happened tonight?
I don't think so. But usually people see
me like, you know, crazy guy just going
and doing all in. He going to guess out
for first round. If I know I can finish
your first round, I go for that. If I
feels like he's gonna finish your second
round, I I just go in and feel the guy
and then I go all in. If I feel that
this guy is not my level and I when I
took him down, we scramble a little bit.
After one minute, I recognize like this
guy is not that good. like he people
talking about like you know he's
couldn't stop the takedowns from Olympic
wrestling guys this that
bro like people don't understand MMA
wrestling and
normal usually freestyle wrestling or GO
is not same thing you know
so if you brings Olympic champion to MMA
I going to wrestle him so but if I go
for the match Olympic wrestlers they're
going to destroy me in the match but
that's a big different two different
sports you M.
So, it was easy to take him down and
submit.
So, you uh you know within the first
within the first few few seconds, minute
what the fight is going to look like.
You just know if the other guy can can
stop your wrestling. You know it pretty
quickly once you're in there with him.
Yeah. Yeah. But and uh when I feel his
body like it's like takes 10 15 minutes
to know it will be hard to take him down
or not.
So I feel it's really tricky. So
yeah.
Can you even tell uh when you guys do a
stare down you know at the end and you
like sometimes you kind of go like this
and I've heard fighters like Cormier is
always saying that he's got to feel you
out, you know.
Can you even tell when you do when you
do that? Like if you indeed if you and
Dracus square off next in Chicago and
you kind of go like this to him, do you
think you'll you'll know right then?
If 20 seconds if you wrestle I will
know.
So but we we'll fight we'll fight you in
the fight. It looks a little bit weird
but he's good fighter but he's there
champ not like just because he's you
know like because he's Rous but he's
work hard. He comes there and become a
champ, but
he's not much better fighter than me.
Yeah. And I've listened to you. I've
talked to you about about fighters and
different guys and you're always pretty
honest and you're always, you know, I'm
not impressed with this guy or I'm not
impressed with that guy. But then when
it comes to your opponents, I think like
smartly, you know, you you say you want
to give them credit. You don't want to
think that, you know, it's going to be
easy. But when you really look at this
guy, do you think he's going to be able
to stop your takedown or what do you
think you're going to find out when you
get in there with him immediately from
just based on what you've seen on film?
Like I told before and the guys after my
fight with Robert and they said like I
said to the guys watch guys the other
UFC fighters who usually strikes they
takes him down. I'm wrestler in MMA like
one of the best wrestlers in MMA. How
it's not possible to him down to take
this guy down if Robert took him down
and uh Ty scramble and take over and he
took him down as well. But
you know the guys know by which level I
am in wrestling and in MMA.
What do you make of him wanting to fight
you then? Cuz I I don't know. I believe
him when I've talked to him about it and
and I remember even before he fought his
last fight, he was saying I want that
guy. I I want Hamzad. I want the guy
that people think is is the scary guy.
I respect respect that. So not everyone
saying that, you know. So a lot of guys
was running away from me, you know. So
he gets the champ and he says I wants to
fight him. It's good respect and
what I can say about
it's good for me.
Yeah, it is. And uh one thing I remember
about your last fight in October is, you
know, you showed up and you were you
were speaking very calmly, quietly. You
had your glasses on, you know, and
people were like, "Oh, like he's he's a
different guy, you know, he's like he's
not that same guy." And then you went in
and had, you know, your most dominant
performance ever. And then then after
the fact, you said that was because of
Robert. Like Robert's a nice guy. So
like, how are you going to act all crazy
around Robert Whitaker? And that makes
sense to me. Do you look at this fight
in Chicago like you guys are going to
have a little bit of fun before you go
fight?
I think so. He's funny guy. Yeah, he
does some He speaks a little bit more
than Robert does. So,
will be fun. I like it when somebody
talks joking. I I want to go spar with
my friends and with my teammates. I
speak with them and we have a fun. Is
the same thing, bro. Every day we fight
in the gym and go there and fight make
money. It makes me more happy.
Mhm. When you think about the actual
belt itself, something that you've
waited for a long time, what is at this
point, what does a belt mean to you?
What does it symbolize? What does it
what is what is the significance of
winning a UFC championship now to you?
Uh
if I say like big thing for me, it will
be like for me most important to have a
money, make a money and
made my family and good life, you know.
So I think about my opponent to win a go
against him and uh the most important to
beat that guy. It's not important to
have a belt. So if I beat him, of course
they're going to have a belt as well. So
first thing I think about the guy then
comes belt as well. The belts used to
mean something though to you, didn't
they? I feel like they did. Unless I
just interpreted that wrong from you.
I don't know.
maybe gives better life for you.
Yeah, that's what it symbolizes. as uh
if we say like uh the guys had John Jo
has so many belts but he's finished
career he going to stay with his family
that's important you know so the other
guys Demetri Jones how many belts he had
so but if you ask him I don't think so
belts is important and his family so
it's most important give the food have a
good life for your family that's the
important thing for me
you told when when I was in Sweden that
uh the difference between you though is
that most people are thinking about one
belt. I'm thinking about three belts.
That was something that you said and it
really stuck out.
Yeah.
That's different. That's changed now.
That's not changed. So
I work with the new coach, coach Carl. I
talk about to him go down again back to
my first fights, you know, that 170 or
75. What was that?
170.
170. He said he gives me a couple of
months. are going to we're going to make
it. So I don't know who is the champ
there. This guy Australian guy.
Mhm.
Yeah. Would be a good fight for me and
go down fight with him as well.
Yeah.
Could take the belt there. And if I go
up and there is an
uh his name Alex Pereira they are
fighting now who is winning can fight
for that that belt as well.
Yeah.
Why would why would you even want to go
down to 170? Like it's not it's not it's
very very hard obviously like
Yeah. Yeah. It's hard but if you can do
it why not
everything is hard. So
to get the big things is not that easy
you know you have to work for that. I
realized it from really long time ago,
but you work hard, you get
good, you know, that's why maybe go down
and take the belt there as well.
Well, that's why uh and I I think uh you
know, you're fighting for money and
you're fighting to to take care of your
family and that's absolutely true. But I
still feel like you are a guy. Of course
you are. You wouldn't be here and at
this level if you weren't. You are still
looking for the biggest challenge though
too, right? like you want to go against
the hardest
because because the guys before me they
did something you know like get tattoo
belts and did some
we can't say in the sport history you
know so that kind of thing so if
somebody does I want to do it as well
at least you has to try
I feel like um you know you talking
about uh coach Calvita and potentially
even dropping down to 170 pounds and
you're uh You love your fans obviously
and you're still wanting to have a good
time, but you're not going out as much
because you don't want to get sick ahead
of a title fight. Like you are acting
like a professional athlete now, you
know, whereas maybe you weren't before.
That's true. Yeah, that's easy.
It's before I was younger couple of
years ago. So
had
did say my training session then evening
went out with the friends going around
come back like 2:00 at night and sleep
again go like was crazy time crazy like
2 3 years after the first few fight
but
more professional you are is better for
you.
Mhm. You know, there's this uh there's
this rumor out there that if you win the
championship that you will retire. Have
you seen this?
Yeah, I seen a kaya said
uh I going to I don't know where he's
here that things.
So, I need money, bro.
This is not enough. I just go for the
one title. So
I hopefully if not get some or some
stuff they going to fight for
defend the belt or fight for other belt
in Abu Dhabi as well.
Mhm. Did he just Kyle just make this up
completely or are there days where you
do say like uh man I could really do
without all of this? Was there any truth
to it at all even you know just
consideration? No, I didn't talk about
these things with someone. So, I don't
know where this come from for him. But
yeah, always you you had something in
your mind. Maybe you can be the finish,
you know, like you gets tired in
training camp, you get hurt and surgery
and why I'm doing this this all the
athletes, you know. So, but
one two three you don't you want to go
back and work hard and fight somebody
and make money. Mhm.
That's a that's everyone does. It's my
job. But best thing I know and do right
now. I'm healthy. I'm young. So going to
fight.
When you win the championship in
Chicago, do you think it'll mean more to
you than it would have if this had
happened 3 years ago? Like if you
wouldn't have had to go through the
health issues and the waiting. Do you
think it means more to you now because
of that or it would have meant the same
back then?
I think the same because
I don't know what to say.
want to go fight, make money, bro. Like
uh when we start talk about the belt and
things like guys saying, you know, you
going for the belt, you this is my for
first ch guy who's going for the belt is
history, big things, you know. Yeah,
it's maybe big, but still the one fight,
one one of my fights, you know. I
thought that before 14 times, so going
to go one more.
Mhm. Maybe that's what makes you so good
that you don't think about it too much.
Yeah, maybe. I don't know. So, I always
want to be in the cage with this guy and
just fight.
Yeah, it is still your favorite thing
like like that moment where they close
the cage. That is still like that's
where you want
that's gives me a different energy.
That's like you know like is really
short but I love that energy.
It's good 25 minutes. If it go for 25
minutes I have a fun 25 but if it goes
like 2 3 minutes I was 2 3 minutes fun
you know. It's really different. Yeah,
we can't do sparring again the training,
you know. It's not the same feeling in
the cage, a lot of people watching you
and
different energy, different adrenaline,
you know. So,
I like it.
I mean, Robert Whitaker is a very good
fighter and and you tore through him. If
if you do that to to to Drake, like arc,
you you know what's going to happen. I
mean DC is going to be on there his
YouTube channel saying like like all
these fights like fantasy fights that
you should be you should be take you
should be taking. Um is there who scares
you in the sport? Like who who would
actually be like dang man like I really
this is going to I can beat him but this
is going to take my best night. This is
going to take everything I got. I mean
obviously as you get we start talking
about heavyweights or something but like
who who are the like scary guys to you
in this sport? I never think about
somebody can make me scared in the
fights you know. So then when I see
somebody kind of makes me just excited
to fight him but make scared it's that's
not big thing just go there and fighting
all my life
I will be die anyway but better to do
something before so I'm happy happy to
do something you know so some guys 100
years they don't do anything it's just
going around and do sometimes work and
not sometimes helping sometimes not
sometimes do bad things going to jail
you know so I just want to be normal guy
and do something for before I die.
Mhm.
Yeah.
And you told me about this school that
you're going to build in Chesna or it's
a gym in Cheshna and it's not just like
this is what is this what is this gym
that you're going to build in Cheshna?
uh gym just gym for for me from for the
kids you know from my village we didn't
had a good gym in my village I would
supposed to go to different village for
train wrestling and judo and stuff you
know like
uh we never had that kind of gym so
there's not so many people living around
there but
I want to if somebody becomes a champ or
he's become a good fighter makes money
and makes good life around him and his
people, I would be happy. So that's why
I be doing that.
Did you always know that you were going
to go back and and live in your village
or was there a time when you were in
Sweden that like you never thought you
would go back and live there? Like what
does that village and living there mean
to you?
I grow up there till I'm guess 19. So
it's a lot of my friends there who went
to school with me and wrestling you know
that means big thing. My family lives
there. my dad, my mom, my brothers and
sisters and
when I die my bodies will be dead as
well. So that's big thing you know.
Why do you think you talk you say that
so much like uh it's just death is just
kind of like a I've never like in these
interviews I don't really hear it get
brought up so much but you tend to bring
it up on a regular basis. I like I
believe the guy so want to meet him as
well. So
always people talking about the life
life life is going really fast you know.
So I'm already 31 I feels like I
remember I was like six seven years I
think like was like yesterday you know.
Mhm.
I was to believe God and do good things
before met him you know. So you have to
be ready for that. If you're not ready
to die when it comes, you will be
scared.
So
maybe that think I'm thinking like
about that. So it makes me who I am
today.
You you think you're ready for the I I
ask you this like I think pretty much
every time I talk to you. Do you think
you're ready for the stardom and the
fame and the change of life that's going
to come if you go out and you win a UFC
championship? you're already a
superstar, but that it always it always
elevates it so much, you know, and when
you look into your bank account and you
see a lot of zeros in it like like how
is it are you ready for that and like
the temptations that come along with it,
the the the chance that it could change
you like like what do you think about
like your life has come so far and it
could still change incredibly over the
next few months?
Yeah, of course. But I'm I'm making more
money than other champs does. So
it's
I went through all of those things, you
know, all the money. I seen the money. I
seen the good life. I seen the crazy
cars and private jets, all that stuff
and watches and closes
and I went through that. I'm ready.
So
yeah, it's nothing big thing going to be
happen like change with the money
but
want to have a belt make more money
helps for somebody
who needs more you know.
Mhm.
A lot of young guys were helping with I
hope one day they become a better than
me or the champs you know. So I see how
the train I would want it you know. So I
see in me when I was younger
on that position they was
so I can't stop if somebody becomes from
my team UFC champion and then I maybe
stop and let them do it. So
now has the fight for not only for me.
If I win the fight, I give solar 20 30
guys and give them like let them go
Thailand doing the training camp there
or Abu Dhabi, Dubai and on the mountains
and there's a lot of money, you know,
you need a lot of money for the boys
make them champions.
Yeah. Where where do you think that that
like why do you think that that's come
up so important to you? Most guys who
are coming up on championships I think
are thinking about themselves like why
why do you think you're thinking that
that way?
Uh if you do good things I said before
like if you good things like now right
now and you met the god so it will be
get good you know.
So so that's why I'm doing good things I
need to do that if I say like I say not
not saying that because of I'm just want
to show up and know like I did good
things for the boys. I did that. So I
want so the other different guys will
become the champ you know who gets the
money there just what you going to do
with the old money what you going to do
with these belts and just help the
people man
let other young boys around you don't
just they just look at you and your
husband mind you driving G wagons and
the stuff I doesn't want to drive only G
wagon I want all my friends want to
drive G wagon you know so
that's why I'm helping them as well
I could drive Ferrari, Lamborghini or
private jet, you know, like but I spend
the money half more and half money for
my people, you know.
Last thing I want to ask you about is
your mom cuz like when I was in Sweden,
one of the things other things I
remember the most is that you said that
you were pretty much in a way doing all
this for your mother too, you know, that
she uh she would wait for you boys to
eat before she would eat, you know. Um,
so how is your mom doing? What have you
done for her? And what does she think
about you fighting for a UFC
championship?
She's good. She She's happy. She's
asking like when you become a champ,
when you become I said before like and
when I become a champ maybe I finish
mom, let me let me fight. So all the
fights after you are you are a champ.
No.
So but she
she comfortable now. She knows I
fighting, you know. So before she was
always crying, why you doing that? Why,
you know, and when you always something
you know people around you, they become
comfortable, you know, they this he does
that before as well. They not so so
scared, you know, like before.
She's good. She sometimes live with
Marish, sometimes go in Sweden,
sometimes go in the mountains, has a
housew,
different apartments, you know, Moscow
around in Dubai, Abu Dhabi.
Mhm.
She has a good life.
Mhm.
So, does she know this? This is She
knows this is for a championship,
though.
Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. I didn't ask.
So, she's going to ask you though. She's
going to be like, "You're the champion,
so now you can be done." That's what
she's going to ask. She always ask, "Can
you can you stop with that?" But yeah,
she know she knows I'm going to fight
anyway.
Does there tend to be like one last
thing that you think about before your
fight starts? Like you'll be the
challenger, so you'll be waiting for him
to come out. Is there any like like
thing that you find yourself thinking
about or uh that's on your mind before a
fight starts?
Yeah, my usually my coach Alan always
pick us up. You're not fighting for
yourself. you fight for these people,
for our everyone like he he speaks nice,
you know, like he's he's a good guy and
it's nice to hear that things as well.
But
usually I'm I said that before for some
some guys around me and they're trying
to hype me up like it makes me more like
excited for the fight. You're doing this
for your mom. You're doing this brother.
Let's go this. So guys, I don't need
that. I don't need to say to me
anything. My heart if I go to the cage
is closed. He's gonna fight for that. So
anyway, but
whatever he thinks you go to the cage,
you have to fight. My heart wants to
fight. So so far
always I think how far he wants to
fight, I going to fight this one.