Dustin Poirier Admits He’s Betting on Khamzat Chimaev Over Chris Weidman
Dustin Poirier trolled Chris Weidman to his face when he revealed that he would be picking Khamzat Chimaev over him for their RAF clash.
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier was brutally honest when it came to picking a winner for the upcoming Real American Freestyle (RAF) main event in Abu Dhabi.
During a recent episode of the Deep Waters podcast, former middleweight champion Chris Weidman opened up about stepping in on short notice to replace an injured Colby Covington against Khamzat Chimaev. Weidman recognized the massive challenge ahead.
"I was always good with short-notice things, you can't overthink anything so I'm just gonna go out there and wrestle," Weidman admitted. "I've been wrestling since I was a little kid and I will say like most people are gonna picking against me for good reason because Chimaev is a beast."
Without skipping a beat, Poirier jumped in to confirm that he was one of those people, bluntly stating, "I'm betting on him," triggering a wave of laughter from co-hosts Jorge Masvidal and Din Thomas.
A Massive Upset to Climb
It is no secret that Weidman steps onto the mat as a major underdog in this matchup. Chimaev has been virtually flawless inside the RAF circle, and in his most recent freestyle outing, "Borz" made quick work of another former UFC champion in Robbie Lawler. In my opinion, most fans naturally see this short-notice clash following the exact same script, given Chimaev's relentless pace and explosive grappling dominance.
While Weidman's Division I All-American credentials and championship lineage command respect, taking on an undefeated powerhouse like Chimaev on short notice leaves little room for error. As RAF Abu Dhabi nears, Weidman aims to prove the doubters wrong, even if those doubters happen to sit right across from him on set.
