Chris Weidman opens up about his imminent clash with Khamzat Chimaev at RAF Abu Dhabi

Chris Weidman has put forth his assessment of his upcoming freestyle wrestling match against fellow former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev. 

Colby Covington vs. Khamzat Chimaev changed to Khamzat Chimaev vs. Chris Weidman at RAF Abu Dhabi

Initially, ex-interim UFC welterweight kingpin and reigning RAF cruiserweight crossover champion Colby Covington was booked to defend his RAF championship against Khamzat Chimaev at RAF Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on November 14. 

Nevertheless, UFC veteran Covington suffered a submission defeat against UFC bantamweight contender Raul Rosas Jr. at the Hype FC event in Italy, Hype Italy, earlier this month. "Chaos" later withdrew from his wrestling match against Chimaev, owing to an injury. 

The RAF, as such, roped in Weidman to replace Covington. Additionally, Chimaev now won't compete for the cruiserweight crossover belt. Instead, "Borz" and Weidman's wrestling match will have the inaugural RAF light heavyweight crossover title at stake at RAF Abu Dhabi on November 14. 

Chris Weidman opens up about RAF Abu Dhabi title match against Khamzat Chimaev

Retired MMA star Chris Weidman, who also happens to be a UFC Hall of Famer, is often lauded for his wrestling prowess. Similarly, Khamzat Chimaev, who's an active member of the UFC roster, is revered for his exceptional wrestling and overall grappling skills.

The Chechen combatant is also on a mission to recapture the UFC middleweight belt he lost to Sean Strickland in May, albeit his next MMA matchup hasn't been officially announced yet. 

In an edition of the Deep Waters podcast on UFC on Paramount+, Chris Weidman was joined by fellow ex-UFC fighters Jorge Masvidal, Dustin Poirier, and Din Thomas. Addressing his high-profile wrestling match against Chimaev, Weidman stated: 

"I'm in the best shape of my life. I've been training very, very hard... Best shape of my life right now." 

Weidman proceeded to indicate that his fitness in his previous RAF match, which saw him get outpointed by Colby Covington, wasn't ideal. The grappling savant implied that he was so very exhausted after a relatively normal exchange that his legs were shaking. 

"The All-American" suggested that although he's gotten himself into better shape as compared to that time, he could've been in even better shape if the upcoming clash against Chimaev wasn't a short-notice one. 

Also, Weidman explained, "Yeah, this is very short notice. So this is not me in the best shape. I've got to cut weight." 

Moreover, the 42-year-old seemed to suggest that he was always good "with short-notice things." That said, he appeared to acknowledge the formidable challenge a fellow grappling extraordinaire like Chimaev presents in their matchup. 

Watch Chris Weidman discuss his much-awaited RAF crossover title tilt against Khamzat Chimaev below: