Joe Rogan believes that Kamaru Usman with a full training camp and in a five-round fight could have posed serious problems for Khamzat Chimaev. Usman accepted the fight on short notice at middleweight and was winning the third round. Rogan stated this would have been a very interesting fight if it had been in a five-round format and if Usman had a full training camp. The comments highlight how the circumstances of their previous encounter may have affected the outcome.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan has suggested that Kamaru Usman, given a full training camp and a five-round format, could have seriously tested Khamzat Chimaev in their previous matchup.
Rogan argued the circumstances surrounding the fight significantly shaped the outcome. Usman accepted the bout on short notice and stepped up to middleweight, yet was reportedly winning the third round before the fight turned. Rogan's position is that a fully prepared Usman over five rounds would have made for a far more competitive contest.
Usman, now 39, carries a 21-4 record and is currently ranked eighth in the welterweight division. Fighting out of Kill Cliff FC, the American-based Nigerian lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute with a 76-inch reach — among the better striking outputs in the welterweight ranks — and adds 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes to his arsenal.
Chimaev, meanwhile, is positioned as the number-one middleweight contender at 15-1 and sits tenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. The Allstars Training Center product is 32 years old and represents one of the more physically imposing fighters in the division at six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach. He lands 4.04 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 60 percent and generates a remarkable 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, making him a threat on the feet and on the ground.
Why it matters
- Rogan's comments reignite debate over whether the short-notice, catchweight-adjacent circumstances cost Usman a fairer shot at Chimaev
- A fully prepared Usman, one of the more decorated welterweights of his era, represents a different challenge than the version Chimaev faced
- The style matchup — Usman's wrestling and volume striking against Chimaev's elite grappling pressure — would carry genuine divisional intrigue across five rounds
