Rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev says he took inspiration from Conor McGregor as he embarked on a career in fighting.
Chimaev is set to fight Li Jingliang at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi this Saturday night as he looks to continue his meteoric rise.
The Chechen had a phenomenal 2020 campaign and set records for the fastest consecutive wins and fastest three-fight winning streak in modern UFC history.
He was then hospitalised multiple times after a long battle with lingering Covid-19 complications and was forced out of three bookings against top welterweight Leon Edwards.
Chimaev has wrestled since his youth but only started taking mixed martial arts seriously four years ago when he moved to Stockholm.
And he thought he would try his hand at the sport after watching the likes of McGregor take home huge paydays.
He told ESPN : "I was watching his fight. I was working when he fight Aldo, I was sitting in and working the night, took 15 minute rest and watch this fight.
"I always look at that like ‘if these guys make so much money, like millions and this stuff, why can’t I do it?
"I have everything, I am fighter, I am warrior, I have something inside, and I felt that when I was born.
"All the time I feel like something special inside of me, and (I wanted to) find some way to take out this and show to the people.”
Chimaev also described the struggles of growing up during the first Russian-Chechen war.
He said his desire to take up MMA came from seeing luxurious houses when running through Stockholm and feeling bad he couldn't house his mother in one.
“I was going home to a not so nice apartment. I have a big family, like mom, and my brothers and sisters, we lived in some apartment," he continued.
"Every morning before work I would go out running and I would see the big house, nice house, nice apartments, and I was feeling bad for my mother.
“I was always thinking ‘How am I going to get this money and get something for my mother so that she can be happy,’ you know?
"Now I can buy something for my mother and she can do whatever she wants to."
Chimaev needed three attempts to make weight for his fight with Jingliang, eventually coming in at 171lbs.
The 27-year-old made his UFC debut at 185lbs but has since expressed his desire to win the welterweight title before moving back up in weight.
Chimaev teased a fight with Darren Till earlier this year and has offered to help train the Liverpudlian after he was outwrestled by Derek Brunson last month.
