It's Hard To Beat Kamaru Usman, Khamzat Chimaev Admits He's Competing With His Cracked Hands Since The First Round

Khamzat Chimaev. (Instagram.com @khamzat_chimaev)

JAKARTA - Khamzat Chimaev managed to beat Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 at the Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, Sunday, October 22 in the morning WIB. This victory was achieved with difficulty, because Khamzat admitted that he had a game with his hands cracked.

"I thought my hand was cracked," said Khamzat after descending from the octagon in a video shown by the European UFC.

At the duel, Khamzat was declared victorious over Usman. The jury gave values 29-27, 29-27, and 28-28 for the victory of the Swedish passported Chechen-born fighter.

Regarding the condition of Khamzat's injured hand during his match against Usman, this was also conveyed by ESPN journalist Brett Okamoto. During the interview, Khamzat Chimaev admitted that his right hand had cracked since the first round.

Khamzat Chimaev told me he thought his right hand had been injured since the first round, which made it difficult for him to grapple in the last two rounds, Okamoto wrote via Twitter.

The news that Khamzat Chimaev had a match with his cracked hands also reached the ears of UFC President Dana White. Related to this, White said the UFC would immediately confirm the truth of the news by going through an examination.

"Khamzat said his hand was injured, but it has not been confirmed. Of course he will undergo x-ray and MRI scans and whatever he needs, we will know his condition later," said White.

The victory over Usman makes Khamzat even more likely to get the welterweight world title fight currently held by Leon Edwards.

Usman himself is a substitute fighter at UFC 294 after Paulo Costa was injured. Usman is currently ranked first in the UFC and Khamzat welterweights in fourth place.

Leon Edward himself is scheduled to face Colby Covington in the race for the world title at UFC 296, December 16.