Slated to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 294 in October, undefeated welterweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev is sure to earn a shot at middleweight gold with a win over Paulo Costa, per UFC color-commentator, Daniel Cormier.
Chimaev, the current number four ranked welterweight contender, has been sidelined since he took co-main event honors at UFC 279 back in September of last year against Kevin Holland, stopping the Californian with a first round D’Arce choke submission victory.
As for Costa, the Belo Horizonte native himself has yet to return since he featured on the main card of UFC 278 back in August, returning to the winner’s enclosure with a unanimous decision win over former undisputed champion, Luke Rockhold, with the Brazilian snapping a two-fight losing skid.
Khamzat Chimaev set to compete for a title with a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 294
According to former duel-weight champion, Cormier to boot, Chimaev would be undeniable for a shot at middleweight gold, should he dispatch Costa at UFC 294 in October.
“If he (Khamzat Chimaev) beats Paulo Costa, Khamzat Chimaev will have earned himself a title fight at 185 pounds,” Daniel Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “And I don’t think anyone can disagree with that. I don’t believe that beating Gilbert Burns, going up, and now beating Paulo Costa doesn’t get you a championship opportunity. It makes you the number one contender between Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis.”
As for the aforenoted current champion, Adesanya, the Nigerian-Kiwi is expected to feature in the main event of UFC 293 in September in a return to Sydney, Australia – taking on either du Plessis, or the surging recent winner, Sean Strickland in a championship defense.
Over the course of his Octagon tenure, Chechen-born finisher, Chimaev has turned in six consecutive victories. And ahead of his return at UFC 294, the AllStars MMA staple has claimed he will make Costa “cry” inside the Octagon during their Middle Eastern battle this October.