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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: Khamzat Chimaev of Russia sits on his stool between rounds against Sean Strickland in the UFC middleweight championship fight during the UFC 328 event at Prudential Center on May 09, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
After four years of bad blood, Paulo Costa is ready to move on from his feud with Khamzat Chimaev.
Costa’s willingness to move forward isn’t motivated by forgiveness or the fact that the duo are currently fighting in different weight classes. Instead, Costa is concerned that Costa will not be back anytime soon after his UFC 328 loss to Sean Strickland.
Per Costa, it’s not just a question of when Khamzat will return, but if.
“I know many of you guys want to have me facing ‘Gourmet Chenchen Chimaev’ a.k.a. ‘Gourmet Chen Chen’ next,” Costa said on Instagram (via MMA Fighting). “I don’t think this is going to happen. Why? Because he’s broke. I think he’s done. I don’t think he’ll be back. And even if he can regrow and be back, this will not be this year. So let’s move on. This will not be this year. So let’s move on, I have a bunch of fights, great fights, great matches to do.
“I want to fight as soon as possible. I think August is an amazing date, even July. So let’s move on. I can fight middleweight, light heavyweight, even heavyweight, OK. We have a great host and let’s move.”
Insults aside, this is a major change in course for Costa, who has called out Chimaev at every possible opportunity. For a while, the matchup didn’t make sense, as Chimaev was climbing the ranks en route to his world title, whereas Costa was struggling. However, Chimaev came up short in his last appearance, whereas Costa scored his best win in years by taking out Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327.
Just as the two could theoretically be booked again, Costa is ready to move on. Fortunately, he does have some alternative suggestions: a rematch with Strickland, Heavyweight feud versus Josh Hokit, and … unsigned Welterweight Mike Perry?!?
“I’m excited to see you guys again as soon as possible and so stop talking about Gourmet Chen Chen, OK?” Costa said. “You know I wish to do that fight before he lost, but mental strength is not one of his qualities, so he has a lot of problems to solve before [being] back. So that’s it, let’s move the page and let’s move on.
“I would bring three names for you guys: Hokit, heavyweight. Strickland, middleweight. And Mike Perry.”
I don’t think anybody on the planet wants to see the Strickland rematch given the tepid first fight, and the “Platinum” bout doesn’t make any sense at all given the size discrepancy. Hokit is already booked for the UFC White House, so I’m not sure that schedule will line up well. In addition, Hokit would be closing in on a title shot if victorious versus Derrick Lewis, so why would he worry about “Borrachinha?”
Most likely, Costa ends up booked versus nobody mentioned thus far but an active 205-pound contender. I wonder when Jiri Prochazka will be ready to fight again?
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