Undefeated welterweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev has predicted a loss for one-time middleweight championship challenger, Paulo Costa at UFC 291 in July – as the Brazilian draws a soon-to-be common foe, Dana White’s Contender Series alum, Ikram Aliskerov.
Chimaev, the current #4 ranked welterweight contender, has been linked with a return to the Octagon at UFC 294 in October on ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi, UAE – and particulary, rumored to be close to a fight against either former welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, or the above-mentioned, Costa.
As for the Belo Horizonte native, Costa recently agreed terms on a new contract with the UFC earlier this year, and is set to begin the first fight on that new multi-fight deal at UFC 291 at the Delta Center on July 29. – taking on incoming common-opposition, Aliskerov.
A product of Dana White’s Contender Series back in September of last year, Aliskerov improved to 14-1 with a first round KO win over Phil Hawes at UFC 288 back in May of this year in his Octagon bow.
Suffering just a single professional loss, Aliskerov’s sole professional defeat came in the form of a 2019 knockout loss to the previously noted, Chimaev when both competed under the Brave CF banner.
Khamzat Chimaev takes firm aim at UFC rival, Paulo Costa
Sharing his thoughts on the pairing this summer, Chimaev, who has taken umbrage with recent comments made about him by Costa – predicted a defeat for the Brazilian against Aliskerov at UFC 291.
“Paulo (Costa) has like, spoken a lot of sh*t about me,” Khamzat Chimaev said on his YouTube channel. “That guy, I want to smash him. I want to kill this guy. I was doing a lot of things and he wants to fight with the other guy [Ikram Aliskerov]. The guy, I fought him a long time before. Three or four years ago, before UFC. I win against the guy.”
“I think the guy (Aliskerov) will beat him (Costa) as well,” Khamzat Chimaev explained. “Paulo is not good. He’s sh*t, bro. He just talks too much. He beat nobody. A close fight with (Yoel) Romero, only fighter he wins against. Other people, I don’t know. Nobody knows these guys. I don’t know who he beat.” (Transcribed by MMA News)