MMA fighter Khamzat Chimaev has stated that he believes Brazilian fans will support him in his fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 294 and that he aims to make Costa “cry in the cage.”
Khamzat Chimaev is confident that he will be the favorite of Brazilian fans when he takes on Paulo Costa at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. The first attack on his opponent hailing from Brazil was made, not in the octagon, but verbally by the Chechen star, three months before their scheduled showdown on October 21. Chimaev’s entry to the middleweight category transpired when his scheduled fights fell through and he has pledged to vent his frustration on Costa during their meeting.
Chimaev further stoked the pre-fight hype by promising to dominate Costa in the cage. He stated, “I’m going to make that guy cry in the cage, like I always do. I make everyone scared.” His aggressive demeanor is renowned within the UFC, with the welterweight champion Kamaru Usman even referring to him as ‘the boogie man’. Consistently ready to take on any challenger at any time, Chimaev reveals, “I never say no. … I’ve been out for a long time, so I’ve been training all the time. When big money comes, maybe it’s hard to make fights for me.”
Chimaev’s versatility is evident in his willingness to fight across weight categories, from welterweight to light heavyweight. Though a high-profile weight miss occurred before UFC 279, Chimaev assures that making 170 pounds isn’t a challenge: “I can go down to 170, I just need some time. Not like last time, give me four weeks.” While Costa was initially expected to take on Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 291, the match failed to come to fruition. Instead, after multiple challenges from Costa, he was slated to face off against Chimaev at UFC 294. This match-up is important for Chimaev, as a victory could pave the way to a potential title fight against the reigning champion, Israel Adesanya.
Showing his ambition clearly, he stated, “If he stays the champ, of course I’ve got my eye on him. I want to have my belts, at least three belts.” But for now, Chimaev’s aim is to establish himself in the middleweight division at 185 pounds. His forecast for the match against Costa? “Nobody likes him. All the Brazilians support me. That guy is not Brazilian. So I’m going to go smash this guy, make him cry.”