There was no mistaking Paulo Costa’s message at the UFC 318 pre-fight press conference: he wants Khamzat Chimaev in the Octagon, and he wants him badly. The Brazilian middleweight contender, known for his relentless approach and knockout power, didn’t hold back as he addressed reporters and made it abundantly clear that his quest to face Chimaev is fueled by more than just competitive ambition.
With several of his recent bouts slipping through his fingers by close margins, including tough decisions against Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland, Costa sounded more determined than ever to right the ship and settle a personal score.
Paulo Costa Wants Khamzat Chimaev
“I want to fight Khamzat Chimaev very badly. I want to hurt him. Doesn’t matter if he wins that fight or not – we need to fight. He talked very bad things about me, in my girl’s Instagram DMs. This is totally personal. I feel angry just to hear his name,” Costa revealed, ahead of UFC 318.
Tamara Alves
It wasn’t just Khamzat Chimaev’s quick rise up the UFC ranks that had Costa riled. The source of his frustration came from social media, of all places. Costa detailed messages sent by Chimaev to his partner, Tamara Alves, which Costa feels cross a line that separates professional gamesmanship from personal disrespect.
“He sent dirt things, you know. Like, ‘Your man is- you should look for a better man,’ something like that. This is not what a real man, a confident man, would do. Why did he message her, and not me? Coward. He’s a coward,” Costa fired, pushing for a matchup that, in his words, is now less about rankings and more about rectitude.
Khamzat Chimaev, for his part, has built a reputation on taking on all comers. Since entering the UFC, he’s bulldozed through opponents across divisions, displaying wrestling and ground skills that have left many seasoned fighters stumped. His current trajectory has him lined up for a title shot against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319, but Costa doesn’t seem interested in waiting for rankings or belts to catch up to his motivations. Judging by Costa’s comments, the grudge has spilled from competitive tension into something that borders on vendetta.
Despite all that, Costa was careful to recognize those in his corner – especially his partner Tamara, whose support he credits with keeping his focus sharp throughout the recent storm of high-stakes fights. “It’s important to have people you trust on your side. Tamara is a great person. She always tries to pull me up, remind me of who I am and what I can do. She sees me every day in the gym – she deserves a lot of credit for my work,” Costa noted.
A Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout has all the makings of a summer blockbuster. Whether it’s sanctioned beef or just good business, Costa has made his intentions as plain as possible. By the sound of things, the UFC will have a hard time denying these two a stage, and fans know sparks are bound to fly if — or when — it finally happens.
