Costa Slams Chimaev’s UFC 294 Performance

Costa Critiques Chimaev’s UFC 294 Performance

At UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, Paulo Costa, initially slated to face Khamzat Chimaev, voiced his disappointment with Chimaev’s majority decision victory over Kamaru Usman. With one judge scoring the bout 28-28 and the others 29-28 in Chimaev’s favor, Costa felt the performance was far from impressive.

Khamzat Chimaev, boasting an impeccable record of 13-0 in MMA and 7-0 in the UFC, went toe-to-toe with former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC). Usman, a recognized welterweight, stepped up to middleweight on a short 12-day notice. While the fight solidified Chimaev’s undefeated streak, Costa, who observed from cageside, remarked that Chimaev looked “horrible” for all three rounds.

Paulo Costa didn’t hold back in his assessment:

“It was not good. Khamzat Chimaev looks horrible. He looked terrible,” he told MMA Junkie.

The Brazilian fighter believed that with a few more weeks of training, Usman could’ve defeated Chimaev or at least earned a draw. He further expressed skepticism about Chimaev’s readiness for a title shot, saying,

“He needs to fight a legit 185 before going to the title shot.”

Costa is confident about his chances against Chimaev, asserting, “If he shows up, he will be erased easily.”