IRVINE, Calif. – Paulo Costa has left behind Khamzat Chimaev in the past.
Costa was originally set to face off against Chimaev in October at UFC 294, but an elbow infection prevented him from competing. Instead, former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman stepped in on short notice but ultimately lost to Chimaev in a majority decision.
Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is now preparing to take on Robert Whittaker (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 298 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) this Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim. He has no desire to reschedule the fight with Chimaev and questions his track record in the middleweight division.
“Everyone knows I have no fondness for the individual, but I believe not many people view him as a serious contender anymore,” Costa stated during Wednesday’s UFC 298 media day. “He simply stopped competing. He hasn’t defeated anyone in the middleweight division who is a top contender or even in the top 15. He hasn’t beaten anyone in the top 15 of the middleweight division. How can anyone take this individual seriously?
“He barely managed to defeat Usman with only 10 days’ notice. Usman is a welterweight. He didn’t even have to cut weight to compete in the middleweight division, and everyone witnessed that fight. I was present. I appreciate the rivalry between countries and cultures, as well as between two individuals, but after I defeat Whittaker, I will no longer acknowledge his existence. Forget about him. He needs to prove himself. He needs to defeat someone who is at least in the top 10 of the middleweight division. He hasn’t done that yet, and I don’t believe he is capable of doing so.”
With a victory over Whittaker, Costa has his sights set on a title shot. He views former champion Whittaker as a much more formidable opponent compared to Chimaev.
“Of course, I would have loved to face him in Abu Dhabi,” Costa expressed. “Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. I was frustrated, but I am here now and I am going to fight someone who is more deserving than him. Whittaker possesses better qualifications than him. Therefore, I don’t believe he will leapfrog me and fight for the belt before I do.”
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com