Statistical analysis reveals that Khamzat Chimaev has been remarkably elusive in opening rounds throughout his UFC career. In nine UFC fights, opponents have landed only 24 significant strikes on him in first rounds, with 18 of those coming from Gilbert Burns alone. Five of his nine opponents failed to land a single significant strike in the first five minutes. Most notably, current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis was unable to land any significant strikes in round one against Chimaev. This defensive dominance sets up an intriguing stylistic question heading into his upcoming bout with Sean Strickland.
