Kamaru Usman stepping in for Paulo Costa in the co-main event against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 gives Usman the opportunity to make his first appearance at middleweight and potentially showcase his skills against a top contender.
Paulo Costa’s absence from his scheduled UFC 294 fight against Khamzat Chimaev has paved the way for Kamaru Usman to step in. Costa, who underwent elbow surgery recently, was deemed unfit to compete by doctors, leading to his removal from the card. Taking to Twitter, Costa shared the reason behind his withdrawal, stating, “I got Staphylococcus bacteria inside my elbow and doctors [are] pulling me out the Fight.”
Seizing the opportunity, Usman readily accepted the fight against Chimaev, despite the limited notice. The former welterweight champion will now move up to the 185-pound division to compete in the co-main event in Abu Dhabi on October 21. Due to these changes, UFC 294 witnessed a swift reshuffling of both the main and co-main events. Charles Oliveira‘s absence from the card, caused by a training injury, led to Islam Makhachev facing Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch. Meanwhile, Chimaev versus Usman now serves as the co-headliner in place of Costa.
This will mark Usman’s middleweight debut after establishing himself as one of the top welterweights in UFC history. With an impressive streak of 15 consecutive victories, Usman stumbled in his most recent fights against Leon Edwards. Interestingly, Usman had previously hinted at a potential bout against Chimaev, albeit in the welterweight division. While Chimaev opted to compete at 185 pounds instead, fate has brought these two formidable fighters face-to-face on October 14 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena.
UFC 294 will launch with a special 2 p.m. ET start time for the pay-per-view event, showcasing an intriguing lineup featuring Usman’s venture into the middleweight division and the anticipated rematch between Makhachev and Volkanovski.