Paulo Costa is set to make his return this weekend at UFC 327, participating in the co-main event. The Brazilian fighter will be making his debut in the light heavyweight division against the undefeated contender, Azamat Murzakanov, marking a significant move to a new weight class.
Leading up to the fight, Costa escalated tensions during the pre-fight press conference, launching verbal attacks and making controversial statements about his opponent. In a heated outburst that quickly went viral across MMA communities, he referred to Murzakanov as “fat.”
“I hate these f***king Russians,” Costa stated during the UFC 327 press conference. “This is the second one in a row that I’m gonna put on my record, and the third one maybe Chimaev. I want him next after beating this fat guy.”
Costa is coming off a unanimous decision victory against Roman Kopylov in his last bout. This win helped him recover from a two-fight losing streak, and the fighter is now eager to build on that momentum.
Following his win over the Russian Kopylov and his upcoming bout against another Russian, Murzakanov, Costa has explicitly stated his intention to target a third Russian fighter, Khamzat Chimaev, who is the current middleweight champion. Given the existing history between Costa and Chimaev, their potential matchup could lead to a major title fight.
Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev is slated to face former middleweight champion Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 328 in New Jersey. The anticipation for this fight is immense, fueled by a prolonged and intense rivalry between the two fighters.
UFC CEO Dana White recently commented on the potential security concerns surrounding the Chimaev vs. Strickland bout. “The amount of f**king security [and police] we’re gonna need in New Jersey for those two,” White remarked during an Adin Ross stream, highlighting the volatility of the matchup.
While the UFC has hosted several heated rivalry fights, including the notable Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov encounter, fans are particularly looking forward to the verbal exchanges between Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev leading up to UFC 328.