Paulo Costa has issued an apology to Russian fans for comments he made at a press conference. Costa clarified that his negative remarks were directed specifically at Khamzat Chimaev, not Russians in general. He stated that he loves Russian people and knows some living in Germany, admitting his earlier statement was misunderstood. Costa emphasized that Chimaev is more Chechen than Russian but acknowledged they are from the same country. He concluded by expressing hope to fight Chimaev, referring to him as a "Chechen gourmet," and mentioned that Costa has now defeated two Russian fighters.
Paulo Costa has taken to social media to apologize to Russian fans following remarks he made at a recent press conference, clarifying that his comments were aimed solely at Khamzat Chimaev and not at Russian people as a whole.
Costa, the 35-year-old Brazilian middleweight ranked thirteenth in the division, explained that he loves Russian people and even knows several living in Germany, admitting his original statement had been misunderstood. The Team Borracha product carries a professional record of 16-4 and is one of the more aggressive strikers in the weight class, averaging 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate.
In his clarification, Costa also pointed out that Chimaev is more Chechen than Russian, though he acknowledged they share the same country. He signed off with a pointed jab, referring to Chimaev as a "Chechen gourmet," and noted that he has now beaten two Russian fighters in his career. Costa added that he still wants to fight Chimaev.
The man on the other end of that callout, Khamzat Chimaev, sits at number one in the middleweight rankings and is ranked tenth pound-for-pound. The 32-year-old, who fights out of Allstars Training Center and holds a 15-1 record, is listed as representing the United Arab Emirates. Standing six-foot-two with a 75-inch reach, Chimaev is a dominant wrestler who averages 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 1.8 submission attempts in the same span.
Why it matters
- Costa is ranked thirteenth at middleweight while Chimaev holds the number-one spot, making any potential matchup a significant step up in competition for Costa.
- A bout between two hard-hitting Orthodox fighters with contrasting styles — Costa's elite striking volume against Chimaev's elite grappling — would present a genuine style clash.
- The public back-and-forth keeps the rivalry in the spotlight and could pressure matchmakers to consider the pairing.
