Rising UFC contender Khamzat Chimaev has accused middleweight champion Alex Pereira of avoiding a fight with him.
Chimaev has predominantly competed at welterweight in his UFC career, though he has also fought at middleweight en route to compiling a 12-0 record in professional mixed martial arts.
Last time out, the Russian-born Swede missed weight for his welterweight clash with fan favourite Nate Diaz, causing the UFC 279 card in September to be drastically altered. Chimaev instead faced Kevin Holland in a 180lbs catchweight bout, submitting the American in the first round.
The failed weight-cut has led some fans and pundits to call for Chimaev to fight at middleweight next, and the 28-year-old is already calling for a title fight in the division.
“I’m always ready,” Chimaev said on a blog on his YouTube channel. “Alex Pereira, he has a [7]-1 record. He lost. I’ve never lost in my life.
“He lost against a s*** guy. The guy is not in the UFC as well.
“The UFC don’t want [me to fight Pereira]. [Pereira] doesn’t want this. What am I gonna do?
“I just wanna fight. Give me somebody. If the guy runs away from me, just give me somebody.”
Pereira became middleweight champion in November by knocking out old foe Israel Adesanya in the fifth round.
Adesanya had been a dominant champion at 185lbs, with five successful title defences across three years, but he lost the belt to Pereira at UFC 281, having also suffered two defeats by the Brazilian during the pair’s kickboxing days.
Pereira, 35, lost his MMA debut in 2015 before winning his next seven fights, with his last four having taken place in the UFC.
