LAS VEGAS – Khamzat Chimaev’s words, at times, can be menacing, but his energy hardly ever changes: always calm, always cool, always collected. That was the case late Monday night when MMA Junkie Radio caught up with him at Harry Reid International Airport.
Chimaev was waiting for a friend to arrive. Or maybe he was hoping to run into Nate Diaz, whom he fights Saturday in the UFC 279 main event at T-Mobile Arena.
It’s the start of a massive fight week for Chimaev as the undefeated rising star gets set to headline his first UFC pay-per-view, but that’s not how he sees it.
“Same sh*t, brother,” Chimaev said. “Otherwise for me, it’s the same fight. Wait for Nate Diaz in the airport before he landing. Stockton is coming soon.”
Watch the video above for our quick conversation with Chimaev at the airport.
Chimaev’s peaceful late-night demeanor certain was different from earlier in the day when he had to be restrained during a heated altercation with Paulo Costa at the UFC Performance Institute.
That’s the nature of a major fight week, right? Anything can happen.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 279.
