Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson has backed his teammate Khamzat Chimaev against welterweight king Kamaru Usman.
Rising star Chimaev has made a surging journey in the welterweight division since debuting for the UFC in 2020 and is currently ranked at No.11 in the weight class.
The Swede has absorbed just one significant strike in his four UFC fights, stopping all of his opponents so far in one-sided affairs.
Pound-for-pound No.1 Usman has praised Chimaev for his wins so far in the promotion but has hinted at retirement before the two would be matched up in the octagon.
And Chimaev's training partner Gustafsson thinks Usman would be knocked out by 'Borz'.
"I think he'd put Kamaru Usman to sleep honestly. I think if he just touches his chin, it's a big chance that Kamaru Usman goes to sleep," Gustafsson told ESPN.
"I like Kamaru Usman, he's a great champ and he's just been breaking records and like you know, it's a pleasure to see him fight because he's very good and technical.
"I love his jab and his wrestling and you can see that he's on top, Kamaru Usman. But I just can't see him take Khamzat's punches."
Chimaev - who is a huge welterweight - would hold a two inch height advantage over Usman in a potential fight.
'The Mauler' also added the fight would be one of the greatest fights in UFC history from a technical point of view.
Chimaev has verbally agreed a deal to face former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns next in the biggest test of his UFC career so far.
The 27-year-old submitted Li Jingliang at UFC 267 last October in his lone fight of 2021 due to a long battle with lingering symptoms of Covid-19 that required multiple hospitalisations.
In 2020, Chimaev set a new record for the fastest consecutive wins and quickest three fight winning streak in modern UFC history.
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And Gutsfasson thinks Chimaev can work his way up to the level of legendary fighters such as Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
"That's the level of potential we're talking about, 100 percent. If he just keeps doing what he's doing now, he will be one of those guys one day," Gustafsson continued.
"I've been sparring with so many guys in so many levels, heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweights and welterweights, this guy just puts people away in training sessions.
"It's too much precision and too much power, too much explosiveness when it comes to Khamzat."
