Chimaev dismantles Lawler in 80 seconds at RAF 14, targets Covington next

Khamzat Chimaev steamrolled former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler at RAF 14 on Friday, finishing the match 10-0 with 20 seconds still remaining in the first period.

Chimaev opened with an immediate takedown, then dragged Lawler back to the mat and locked in a gut wrench to race out to an 8-0 lead. A further two-point score sealed the contest before Lawler could mount any meaningful response.

The victory was clinical from start to finish. Lawler, a former UFC middleweight champion, had no answer for Chimaev’s relentless grappling pace in what turned into an ultra-short, one-sided affair.

With the win secured, Chimaev wasted little time shifting focus to his next opponent. He is set to face former UFC interim welterweight champion Colby Covington in the RAF crossover championship main event in Abu Dhabi in three weeks.

“Happy to finally get this guy and break his neck,” Chimaev said of Covington after the match.

Chimaev also weighed in on a near-brawl that erupted at Thursday’s press conference involving his teammate Arman Tsarukyan and Dillon Danis.

“I’m ready for anything,” Chimaev said. “If Arman wants to kill him, we kill him.”

The Abu Dhabi card shapes up as a significant crossover event, with Chimaev’s championship bout against Covington headlining a card that already carries considerable tension following the Tsarukyan-Danis confrontation.