American grappler and MMA fighter Dillon Danis has drawn attention again with a bold thesis: in his view, he could take down and submit newly crowned, undefeated UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev without much trouble. As justification, Danis dissects how “readable” he finds the opponent’s style and recalls the tactical choices of Dricus Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman in their bouts with the Chechen dominator.
A Bold Claim From the Grappler
Danis, known for his BJJ background and friendship with Conor McGregor, insists that Chimaev’s basic blueprint on the mat and along the fence allows an experienced submission specialist to impose his own exchanges. In his view, the key to success is to avoid a raw strength battle and instead methodically provoke positional mistakes, then take the back or isolate an arm for a joint lock.
Chimaev’s “Simple Style” Through Danis’s Eyes
By Danis’s assessment, Chimaev’s arsenal relies on pressure, quick level changes, hard takedowns, and tight top control with ground-and-pound. The strength is pace and physicality; the vulnerability is the predictability of the transitions. If you time the entries on the shots and the clinch against the fence, you can jump on a guillotine, a D’Arce choke, or counter with a sweep and then take a dominant position.
What Didn’t Work for Du Plessis, in His View
Breaking down Dricus Du Plessis’s actions, Danis notes an excessive focus on survival along the fence. Prolonged defense without active attempts to stand up or reverse positions, he says, only gave Chimaev control and, minute by minute, cemented the crucifix and other uncomfortable configurations. The result: minimal strain on Hamzat’s cardio and maximum points on the champion’s scorecards.
Why Usman Drained Hamzat’s Gas Tank
As the opposite approach, Danis points to Kamaru Usman: he more often broke grips, angled out, engaged in exchanges, and disrupted the dominance rhythm. The constant attempts to escape control and seize the initiative, in Danis’s view, tired Chimaev out far more.
How the Finish Looks
The scenario Danis sketches: lure the shot — immediately snatch the neck (guillotine/D’Arce), or turn it into a scramble, take the back, and finish with a classic rear-naked choke. An alternative is to transition from side control to an arm-triangle choke, or attack an armbar if the opponent leaves the elbow inside.
Marketing or a Real Challenge?
Danis’s words sound both like a technical breakdown and a PR move toward a potential super fight. Chimaev remains one of the division’s most dangerous wrestler-grapplers, and any attempt to “submit him easily” is a bet on perfect timing and error-free positional management. Yet that is precisely Danis’s point: in the chess of ground fighting, he sees enough straightforward moves to force a resignation.
