Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa are gearing up for war at UFC 294. In the build-up to their Abu Dhabi clash, the duo have taken verbal jabs at each other. And it seems like fans are in for a tantalizing battle as these two outspoken warriors edge closer to the fateful night.

However, ahead of the unbeaten Chimaev’s clash with ‘Boracchinha,’ there are some pundits who are finding it hard to believe that the now former Swedish MMA fighter will make weight ahead of the fight. Why? Well, it seems like these UFC insiders know something that fight fans aren’t aware of. So, what’s the real reason behind these speculations?

Josh Thomson and ‘Big’ John McCarthy discuss Khamzat Chimaev and his weight-cutting antics

UFC’s prominent figures – Big John McCarthy and Josh ‘The Punk’ Thomson, recently sat down for yet another WEIGHING IN podcast episode. This time, they discussed a plethora of topics, including the Khamzat Chimaev vs. Paulo Costa match-up, and the concerns surrounding Chimaev’s weight.

Thomson wasted no time in addressing the elephant in the room. He pointed out that Chimaev’s physical appearance had changed significantly, describing him as “enormous.” He asserted, “If you’ve not seen the pictures of Chimaev – he’s f**king huge! Like, he’s enormous John!”

‘The Punk’ also addressed Chimaev’s previous weight-making disaster at UFC 279. For those of you who aren’t up to aware, ‘Borz’ was all set to take on Nate Diaz at this PPV event but failed to make weight by over 7.5lbs. 

Referring to this, the MMA analyst stated, “I was like – ‘Yeah – I can see why you missed 170 lbs by eight pounds. It’s like – actually you missed it by 10 lbs.’ I mean, he’s huge!” Thomson’s remark raises a big question about Chimaev’s bold proclamations of becoming a double-champ, much like his inspiration, Conor McGregor.

Read More: “He’s Punishing Him for the Nate Fight” – Fans React as Khamzat Chimaev Unloads on Dana White for Sitting Idle in the UFC

‘Borz’ himself has admitted to being motivated by the Irish superstar’s domination of Jose Aldo at UFC 194. In his own words, Chimaev told ESPN: “I was thinking if that light guy [referring to Conor] did that s**t, then why is it the end of it?”

‘Big’ John McCarthy has an intriguing suggestion for the next potential ‘Borz’ fight

It seems like UFC’s iconic ref ‘Big’ John McCarthy wants to watch Chimaev take on an unranked opponent just like himself. Who would that be? Let’s hear it from McCarthy himself!

McCarthy chimed in, voicing his interest in seeing Chimaev face the UFC’s prodigious rising star, Bo Nickal. He declared, “Bo Nickal has said a whole lot of things about Chimaev. I would love to see Bo Nickal and Khamzat Chimaev locked together. That to me is the fight [to make]!”

However, Thomson expressed reservations about the timing. He suggested that Nickal might need more experience before taking on Chimaev. McCarthy disagreed, emphasizing that Chimaev’s wrestling skills might not be enough to overcome Nickal.

Retorting back, ‘The Punk’ argued that while Nickal might take Chimaev down, the UFC fighter could likely get back up. All it would lead to would be a tiring wrestling match. Arguing his POV, Thomson furthered, “Chimaev’s wrestling is good enough to stuff a couple of those takedowns and make Bo a little bit more tired. That’s why I think Bo needs at least two more fights and then I’m gonna be like, ‘Let’s start feeding him to the wolves.’”

In conclusion, while the hype for Chimaev vs. Costa continues to build, doubts about Chimaev’s weight and readiness for this double champ dream fight persist among UFC insiders. What do you make of this discussion and the implications of these narratives? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

Watch this Story: Is the Khamzat Chimaev vs Paulo Costa Fight Happening on UFC 294?+