Costa struggles to make 93 kg, promises to beat 'second Russian in a row'

Paulo Costa is having significant difficulty making weight at 93 kilograms (205 pounds) for his upcoming middleweight bout, according to video from his team. This is notably challenging as Costa previously competed at 84 kilograms (185 pounds). Costa has also changed his stance on Russian fighters, now stating he hates them and that his opponent will be "the second Russian in a row" he adds to his record. He further threatened that Khamzat Chimaev would be his third Russian opponent after dealing with "this fat guy." The weight struggle combined with the aggressive rhetoric creates questions about Costa's preparation and mindset heading into the fight. Moving up a full weight class while displaying such difficulty suggests potential issues with his fight camp.