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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
ABU DHABI — In a thrilling match at UFC 294, middleweight Khamzat Chimaev emerged as the victor over Kamaru Usman, securing a majority decision victory inside Etihad Arena on Saturday. However, amidst his triumph, Chimaev suspects that he may have sustained a broken right hand.
Chimaev (13-0) disclosed to ESPN that he believes he broke his right hand during the dominant first round of the fight against Usman. There was a noticeable reduction in his aggression during the second and third rounds, with the exception of a back-and-forth exchange towards the end of the match.
“I think I broke my hand and finger in the first round,” Chimaev revealed. “Unable to exert much force with my right hand, which is a powerful weapon. It was challenging to execute my game plan without it.”
The judges’ scores of 29-27, 29-27, and 28-28 favored Chimaev, although Usman managed to claim the second round on all three scorecards. Usman also secured one judge’s favor in the third round.
Chimaev, who hails from Chechnya and fights out of Dubai, expressed his intention to have his hand examined promptly. UFC president Dana White announced that Chimaev is now in line to challenge middleweight champion Sean Strickland following his victory on Saturday.
“I will get my hand checked,” confirmed Chimaev. “If it’s in good condition, I’ll focus on strength training and be prepared for the next challenge.”
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