UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa shared a story about Khamzat Chimaev’s reported security during UFC 319.
Costa’s tension with the middleweight champion
Paulo Costa has never hidden his dislike for Khamzat Chimaev, who secured the middleweight title after dominating Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319. The two fighters are unlikely to meet soon, as other contenders currently outrank Costa in the division.
Costa recently achieved an impressive win over Roman Kopylov, showing he has the skills to make a serious run in the middleweight rankings. However, he often appears to create obstacles for himself outside the octagon. Despite this, Costa continues to speak openly against the champion whenever the opportunity arises.
The story from UFC 319
In a recent interview, Costa described the extreme precautions surrounding Chimaev during UFC 319. He said, “We had everything set up to go to Chicago after my fight against Roman Kopylov. We contacted UFC, and they told me, ‘Paulo, it’s better you not go there because he might have like 20 people surrounding him to protect him from you. It’s a big fight to protect him.’ I couldn’t believe it.
He brought a whole army. He always walks with people to protect him. They told me it’s better not to go because we don’t know where he might be in the arena, and they could attack or confront me. It was crazy.”
Costa’s comments highlight the intensity and paranoia that sometimes accompany top-level UFC fights. Whether this tension leads to a future matchup remains uncertain, but Costa clearly keeps Chimaev in his sights.
