While it may not be an ideal situation given his own big welterweight clash next week, Belal Muhammed believes Khamzat Chimaev could, indeed, walk straight into a UFC title shot at 170 pounds if victorious over Gilbert Burns this weekend.
Chimaev (10-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) made it clear that he believes a victory at UFC 273 should earn him a shot at reigning champion Kamaru Usman, altering the promotion's current plans to give Leon Edwards a crack at the title, and Muhammad doesn't find the idea all that difficult to fathom. With the hype around Chimaev reminding Muhammad of the push Conor McGregor received on his rise to superstardom, he says a quick path to the top might be inevitable.