The co-headlining bout between Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev for UFC 294 is uncertain due to Costa’s recent revelation of elbow surgery, with UFC CEO Dana White stating that a final decision will be announced soon and potential replacements are being considered.
The highly-anticipated matchup between Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev may be in danger of being canceled for UFC 294, according to UFC CEO Dana White. White revealed on Tuesday that the co-headlining bout is uncertain due to Costa’s recent announcement about undergoing elbow surgery. He mentioned that fans would soon be informed about the final decision.
Costa, on the other hand, seemed confident about his participation in the fight and stated on Monday that he is definitely going to face Chimaev. The Brazilian fighter, who previously challenged for the middleweight title, explained that his injury initially started as a staph infection but worsened and was subsequently diagnosed as a “bursitis infection” that required immediate surgical intervention.
Despite his injury and surgery, Costa believed that he would have an appropriate recovery timeline to be able to compete. However, Dana White revealed that this might not be the case. He mentioned that he is currently in discussions with potential replacements for Costa in case he cannot participate. White further stated that he hopes to have an answer on Costa’s status within a couple of hours.
Costa’s last fight took place in August 2022, where he secured a unanimous decision victory against Luke Rockhold at UFC 278. Since then, he has been linked to several potential matchups, including fights against ex-champ Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov. However, these bouts did not materialize, and eventually, the war of words between Costa and Chimaev led to their agreement for UFC 294. Now, with Costa’s injury, his participation hangs in the balance, and fans eagerly await the final verdict.