Paulo Costa moves on from Khamzat Chimaev matchup: ‘I think he’s done’

Paulo
Costa is no longer interested in fighting Khamzat
Chimaev.

Chimaev lost his middleweight title to Sean
Strickland in a massive upset at UFC 328
earlier this month. Costa had initially called for a matchup
against Chimaev after he lost to Strickland. 

However, Costa (16-4) has now changed his mind. “Borrachinha”
believes Chimaev won’t be able to recover from the loss anytime
soon. Meanwhile, Costa wants to be back in action as early as July
or August. The Brazilian is willing to fight at middleweight, light
heavyweight or even heavyweight. Costa gave his fans three
potential opponents to choose from: Sean
Strickland, Josh Hokit,
or Mike
Perry.

Weighing His Options

“I know many of you guys want to have me facing Gourmet Chen Chen
Chimaev next,” Costa said in a since-deleted post on Instagram. “I
don’t think it’s gonna happen. Why? Because he broke; I think he’s
done, I don’t think he’ll be back. And even he can grow and be
back, it will not be this year. So, let’s move on. I have a bunch
of fights, great fights, great matches to do. I want to fight as
soon as possible. I think August is an amazing date, even July. I
can fight middleweight, light heavyweight, even heavyweight… Stop
talking about Gourmet Chen Chen. I wished to fight him before he
lost. But mental strength is not one of his qualities. He has a lot
of problems to solve before he’s back… Tell right here who you
think I should fight. I will bring three names for you guys: Hokit,
heavyweight; Strickland, middleweight; Mike Perry.
Make your choice.”

Costa suffered a decision loss against Strickland in 2024. Costa
has since rebounded with consecutive upset wins over Roman
Kopylov and Azamat
Murzakanov. Costa has been trading barbs with Hokit since he
won a double bonus with a decision win over Curtis
Blaydes at UFC 327
last month. Costa stopped a previously undefeated Murzakanov on the
same card and accused Hokit of robbing him of his bonus. Meanwhile,
Perry has attracted Costa’s attention with a brutal beatdown of
Nate
Diaz on the MVP MMA card earlier this month. 

‼️Paulo Costa
says fight with Khamzat
Chimaev is NOT going to happen

He said he wants to fight in August-July

Open to fight at Middleweight, Light Heavyweight or even
heavyweight

via @BorrachinhaMMA
pic.twitter.com/XoGfrJurN0

— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA)
May 23, 2026