Paulo Costa used his UFC 327 victory in Miami to renew his push for a showdown with Khamzat Chimaev, calling for the middleweight champion to meet him at light heavyweight.
Costa has been targeting a fight with Chimaev since UFC 318 in summer 2025 and made it clear he wants the matchup at 205 pounds, where he recently moved up and now sits at No. 7 in the division’s rankings.
“I just wish he comes to 205,” Costa said, before doubling down on his message. “I’m going to be here with my arms open, waiting for him. This is going to be even worse for him. At 205, I’m a monster.”
“I don’t need to sacrifice any muscle of my body to make 185. At 205, I have full ‘secret juice’ power. That is going to be tragic for him,” Costa added.
Chimaev, who holds a 15-0 professional record, is currently scheduled to defend his middleweight title at UFC 328 on May 9 in Newark, while Costa, 16-4, believes he needs one more strong win at 205 pounds to challenge for the light heavyweight title.
