With the confirmation of one-time middleweight title challenger, Paulo Costa’s withdrawal from his UFC 294 co-headliner with Khamzat Chimaev next weekend, the latter will still remain on the card in a co-main event capacity – now taking on former undisputed welterweight champion and former pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman on just 10 day’s notice.
Appearing live on his official Instagram account, UFC CEO, Dana White confirmed the new slated pairing between the surging, Chimaev, and former undisputed welterweight titleholder, Kamaru Usman – with the pair set to compete in a co-main event clash in a middleweight clash.
Dana White confirms Kamaru Usman’s short notice fight with Khamzat Chimaev
“ARE YOU SH*TTIN’ ME?!” Dana White posted on his official X account tonight.”
Sidelined from the Octagon since he headlined UFC 286 back in March in London, former undisputed welterweight champion, Usman most recently suffered back-to-back title fight losses to the incumbent welterweight titleholder, Leon Edwards in a rematch and subsequent rubber match.
Initially searching for and offering himself as a fight opponent for the undefeated Chimaev, Usman suggested a catchweight clash between the duo, ultimately to no avail. However, with the withdrawal of Costa due a recent surgical procedure to address a bursitis infection in his elbow, the Auchi native will get his wish in the form of a middleweight bout with the Chechen.
Boasting an impressive 12-0 professional record, Chimaev, the current number four ranked welterweight contender, has been sidelined since he co-headlined UFC 279 back in September of last year, submitting Kevin Holland with a first round D’Arce choke submission win.
Next weekend’s UFC 294 headliner also witnessed a massive reshuffle overnight to boot, with undisputed lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev seeing a planned rematch with ex-titleholder, Charles Oliveira fall to the wayside.
Dealing with a nasty laceration above his eyebrow, Oliveira has now been replaced by undisputed featherweight gold holder and pound-for-pound kingpin, Alexander Volkanovski who faces Makhachev in a title rematch next weekend in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Who wins at UFC 294: Khamzat Chimaev or Kamaru Usman?