The feud between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa got personal before their fight was canceled, with Chimaev sending a picture mocking Costa’s loss to Israel Adesanya to Costa’s girlfriend and manager, but Chimaev dismissed it as harmless fun, while Costa accused Chimaev of showing weakness by messaging his girlfriend.
The highly anticipated fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa was abruptly canceled due to Costa’s injury, but their feud may not be over just yet. The rivalry took a personal turn when Costa claimed that his girlfriend and manager, Tamara Alves, received a direct message from Chimaev mocking Costa’s loss to Israel Adesanya. In response to this accusation, Chimaev explained that it was all in good fun and that he holds no personal grudge against Costa or his girlfriend. However, he did emphasize the need for boundaries in trash talk.
Costa is known for his active and sometimes peculiar social media presence, with Alves being a key contributor to his accounts. She weighed in on the situation, accusing Chimaev of revealing his weakness by messaging her. Unfortunately for fans looking forward to seeing these middleweight contenders settle their score in the octagon, Costa had to withdraw from the fight due to an elbow infection. Chimaev admitted that he expected this outcome, citing Costa’s history of missed fights and weight issues.
While Costa has not officially missed weight, he has faced controversies with regard to the scale. In 2019, he received a suspension for the use of IVs after weigh-ins, and in 2021, he forced a bout to be changed to a higher weight class due to his inability to make the required weight limit. Chimaev believes that Costa pulling out of their fight was ultimately the best decision for his overall health. He also takes a swipe at Costa, stating that he lost his chance to make money and that stepping into the cage would have resulted in even more harm for the Brazilian fighter.
With the Costa fight no longer on the table, Chimaev has shifted his focus to his new opponent, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. A victory over Usman could potentially earn Chimaev a shot at the middleweight title. However, Chimaev still leaves the door open for a future clash with Costa if he manages to reclaim his spot at the top of the division. He plans to have a long career in the UFC and is open to fighting Costa or anyone else in the future.