Khamzat Chimaev has taken a major step towards a middleweight title shot after edging out Kamaru Usman in a grueling co-main event at UFC 294.

The undefeated Chimaev (13-0) dominated the first round with his grappling, taking Usman down at will and controlling him on the ground. Usman (20-3) returned strong in the second round with his striking, landing several big shots that rocked Chimaev. The third round was close, with both fighters having their moments. Chimaev secured a late takedown to seal the victory.

The judges scored the fight 29-27, 29-27, and 28-28 in favor of Chimaev via majority decision.

The fight between Chimaev and Usman was one of the most anticipated in UFC history. Both fighters are considered to be among the best in the world and the war lived up to the hype, with both fighters showcasing their skills. The fight between Chimaev and Usman was a classic clash of styles. Chimaev's grappling proved to be too much for Usman to handle, but Usman's striking was also impressive. The fight is sure to be remembered as one of the best in UFC history.

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Robert Whittaker saying: ‘This is my path’ next to Khamzat Chimaev in front of the UFC logo

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Israel Adesanya facing off Khamzat Chimaev in front of the UFC logo

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It looks as if Khamzat Chimaev is next in line to face off against the newly crowned middleweight champion Sean Strickland. After Israel Adesanya made it clear that he would be taking an extended leave of absence it opened the door for new contenders to pave way in the middleweight division. Chimaev moved up in weight after his failed weight miss against Nate Diaz and was poised to break out in a matchup against Paulo Costa but due to unforeseen circumstances Costa had to withdraw due to a bad staph infection.

This opened the door for Kamaru Usman the former welterweight champion to step up on 10 days' notice to beat the man that many people seem to be afraid to fight and also earn a potential title shot if he was successful. Unfortunately, he fought a very close fight but Chimaev came away victorious and is now next in line for his first-ever chance at UFC gold when him and Sean Strickland square at a PPV event in a later date.