Footage has emerged detailing a tense verbal altercation and back-and-forth between upcoming UFC 279 headliner, Khamzat Chimaev, and former middleweight title challenger, Paulo Costa – with the duo separated and corralled at the UFC Performance Institute.
Chimaev, the current #3 ranked welterweight contender, attempts to land his first title siege under the promotion’s banner this weekend in ‘Sin City’ – featuring in a main event clash against veteran Stockton native, Nate Diaz.
As for Costa, the Belo Horizonte striker snapped his two-fight losing run against both Israel Adesanya and Marvin Vettori last month in the co-main event of UFC 278 in Salt Lake City, defeating former middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold.
With tension at its peak for Chimaev ahead of his pivotal matchup against Diaz this weekend at the T-Mobile Arena, footage has emerged of the duo sharing some words in a heated verbal battle at the UFC Performance Institute, with Costa offering to fight Chimaev in the future.
“Did you say you want to f*ck me up,” Khamzat Chimaev asked Paulo Costa who was grappling with Jake Shields. Responding to Chimaev, Costa says, “I want to fight you, do you want to fight me?”
Replying to Costa, Chimaev, now irate and being held back by members of his team including UFC light heavyweight staple, Ilir Latifi, says, “I want to f*ck you up now p*ssy boy. Brazilian p*ssy.”
Mocking Costa for his 2020 knockout loss to middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, Chimaev claimed that the City Kickboxing staple “f*cked” Costa – poking fun at the Nigerian-Kiwi’s post-fight display following his win over Costa.
“What happened with Israel (Adesanya)?” Khamzat Chimaev asked. “He f*cked your ass, yeah? I’m here now, you said you were going to f*ck me up. You’re a p*ssy now.”
Paulo Costa offers to fight Khamzat Chimaev after UFC 279
Responding to the entire altercation with Chimaev, Costa called the Chechen-born contender denied Chimaev’s so-called status as a “real gangster” – backing Diaz to win this weekend.
“I think Nate Diaz will beat him, Nate is a real gangster,” Paulo Costa said on Instagram. “Chimaev calls himself a real gangster, but he’s just a gourmet Chechen. He’s not a real gangster. F*ck that guy, Nate Diaz will f*ck him up. I’m with Nate all day. F*ck that gourmet Chechen. If Chimaev beats Nate Diaz, we can do this (fight) for my last one.” (Transcribed by Mirror)