Paulo Costa can set his sights firmly on Khamzat Chimaev now.
Heading into his UFC 318 co-main occasion duel with Roman Kopylov, Costa made it no secret he desires to battle Chimaev quickly. Costa earned a convincing unanimous decision nod over Kopylov and afterwards, he informed reporters his plans haven’t modified, particularly after Chimaev took a private jab at him on Twitter.
Responding to the declare that he reached out to Costa’s girlfriend by way of non-public messages, Chimaev tweeted, “It was she who wrote to me.” Costa addressed Chimaev’s remark at Saturday’s post-fight presser.
“He’s mendacity,” Costa stated. “If the UFC permits me, I might be there in Chicago in just a few weeks.”
Chicago is the location of UFC 319, which takes place Aug. 16 and options Chimaev difficult Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title. If Costa has his method, he’ll be seated cageside, able to name for a bout with Chimaev whatever the end result.
Costa has been so fired up a few potential Chimaev battle, he was requested if the feud had him rattled at Thursday’s press convention, however Costa denied that was the case.
“To start with, individuals say I used to be shaking,” Costa stated. “I used to be not sick or nothing, I didn’t use any powder or one thing like that. I simply was very motivated, very targeted, very locked on this battle [with Kopylov]. Within the backstage I used to be telling to myself, yelling to myself the entire time, ‘That is work. Go to work. Do your factor. You want this victory. I can’t be again with out this victory. That is mine. I’m gone.’ So I used to be locked in, 100% targeted on this battle, this match. I knew this was a really robust opponent.
[UFC executive] Hunter [Campbell] informed me, ‘Paulo, this can be a nice matchup.’ I used to be the co-main occasion. Even Marvin [Vettori] and [Brendan] Allen, they’re above me within the ranks, however we’re right here within the co-main occasion as a result of the UFC is aware of this could be an important matchup, an important battle, an important comeback from me. So I put an excessive amount of focus on this battle and this victory.”
It was a much-needed win for Costa, who was coming off of back-to-back losses to Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker and had only one win in his 5 earlier bouts. The one-time UFC title challenger placed on a pointy efficiency, out-striking Kopylov for 3 rounds to document his first victory since 2022.
Costa credited his coaches for serving to him overhaul his technique and get again on the successful observe.
“I had two losses to Whittaker and Strickland,” Costa stated. “These two damage me as a result of I used to be there. I may carry out higher, however my recreation plan, my technique was not good. I used to be bouncing and countering as an alternative of going ahead. The coach over right here, these three coaches, these guys modified my mentality, my recreation plan.
“They stated, ‘Paulo, you’re the hunter. You’re the bully. You want to go ahead, stress, put your fingers and kicks, they’re so robust, possibly essentially the most robust in the entire division.’ In order that was that and right here I’m.”
