“I’m With Conor”- Downplaying Khamzat Chimaev’s Incredible MW Win, Paulo Costa Joins Conor McGregor’s Army Against Undefeated Star at UFC 294

UFC 294 saw Khamzat Chimaev make his return to the Octagon after a hiatus since 2022. The card also saw multiple changes on short notice. The UFC initially scheduled Paulo Costa to face Chimaev, but they had to remove him from the fight because of a severe arm infection. Chimaev faced former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on short notice instead.

Usman was making his move up to the middleweight division for this fight. Despite Usman putting in a valiant effort, Chimaev secured the win. But with Chimaev adding another win to his undefeated record, Conor McGregor believes he isn’t ready to take on the champion at middleweight yet. And Chimaev’s original opponent for UFC 294, Paulo Costa, agrees with ‘The Notorious’!

Khamzat Chimaev isn’t ready for a title shot according to Conor McGregor and Paulo Costa agrees

Khamzat Chimaev moved up to the middleweight division after a weight miss at UFC 279. This led to his fight with Nate Diaz being canceled. Chimaev then fought Kevin Holland at a catch weight bout at 180 lbs. He secured a win via submission in the first round. However, the weight issues prior led to him changing weight classes for the future.

His bout with Kamaru Usman was confirmed to have title implications by UFC CEO Dana White. In an interview on the Pat McAfee Show, White stated that he intends to give the title shot to the winner, barring any unforeseen circumstances. And with Khamzat Chimaev securing the victory, UFC star Conor McGregor has found another ally for his stance regarding Chimaev taking on the middleweight champion.

In a post on X, McGregor stated he hasn’t seen enough from Chimaev to prove that he is ready for a title shot. He commented, “He must beat a true 185er. Rebook Chimaev vs Costa”

And Paulo Costa, Chimaev’s original opponent for UFC 294, agreed with this statement. He stated that Chimaev has yet to face a true, elite middleweight in the UFC. Costa stated, “I’m with Conor, he didn’t fight a legit MW until now. Let him feed me! What do u think about? This is the fight to make everybody wanna watch it. Let’s go, chenchen! ”

With his loss to Chimaev, Kamaru Usman has now lost 3 fights in a row. Despite coming into the fight on 10 days notice, Usman put in a solid performance. But it wasn’t enough to stop ‘Borz’ from carrying on, adding to his win column. Paulo Costa, who was present at the event, may not have stepped into the Octagon, but that didn’t stop him from getting involved in shenanigans outside of it!

Costa gets involved in an altercation at UFC 294

Paulo Costa, the UFC middleweight fighter, didn’t step into the cage at UFC 294. However, he found himself in a brawl outside the arena. Cameras captured Costa defending himself against multiple individuals, with UFC security intervening to control the situation. The exact cause of the altercation and the identities of the other parties remain unclear.

The crowd at UFC 294 was far from welcoming to Costa, showering him with boos. Originally, Costa was scheduled to compete in Saturday’s pay-per-view event, but due to his withdrawal, the UFC arranged a bout between former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev.

Read More: After Fuelling Rumors of UFC’s Hand Behind Weight Cut Fiasco Against Nate Diaz, Khamzat Chimaev Mocks Weigh-In Debacle in a Daring Act

In Costa’s absence, Khamzat Chimaev went on to secure a majority decision victory against Kamaru Usman, further extending his record to 13-0. Costa’s last fight dates back to August 2022, where he won a decision against former champion Luke Rockhold at UFC 278.

Do you think Khamzat Chimaev deserves a shot at the middleweight title next? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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