Paulo Costa, despite his upcoming move to light heavyweight, continues to have his sights firmly set on reigning UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev. The intense animosity between Chimaev and Costa, often referred to as “The Eraser” and “Borz” respectively, suggests that a confrontation inside the octagon is highly anticipated by both fighters and fans alike.
In a recent discussion with Ariel Helwani, Costa unveiled plans to launch his “Secret Juice” immediately following his next bout. When queried about whether Chimaev would be a candidate for his unique concoction, Costa humorously responded, “I don’t think so. I think he is looking fatty. Fat a*s. This guy does deserve secret juice. Secret juice is for nice people. He is not nice.”
Costa is scheduled to face the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov on April 11 at UFC 327. He fully intends to dismantle Murzakanov, nicknamed “K Dojo,” before shifting his focus entirely to a showdown with Chimaev.
Paulo Costa Ready to Fight Khamzat Chimaev at 185 or 205 Pounds
During the same interview, Paulo Costa reiterated his readiness to challenge Khamzat Chimaev in either the middleweight (185 lbs) or light heavyweight (205 lbs) divisions. He indicated that a significant victory at UFC 327 could pave the way for him to either drop back down to middleweight to secure a title shot against Chimaev or wait for Chimaev to potentially move up in weight. Costa stated, “I’ve always made it public that I want to fight him. It’s about UFC. If UFC wants to make that fight one day, I’m ready. He’s a champion right now. I think after a good victory against Azamat on April 11, I can come back at middleweight to be in line to fight him, or I can wait for him at 205. I can fight him in both divisions. I think I’m going to enjoy 205, but I’m not closed to 185.”
The 34-year-old fighter further asserted that he believes he presents the most difficult challenge for Chimaev, declaring, “I think the worst match for Chimaev is me… This needs to happen. He is my goal. I am sick of him. I hope very soon we can fight.”
Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev, who claimed the UFC middleweight championship last year, is expected to make his initial title defense after Ramadan. Potential opponents for this defense include Nassourdine Imavov or Sean Strickland. Chimaev has also openly discussed his ambition to defend his 185-pound title once before moving up to light heavyweight to pursue a second championship, aiming for two-division glory.
