Khamzat Chimaev has a sole opponent who could take the place of Paulo Costa at UFC 294, and coincidentally, it happens to be a previous champion. “That will be the main event.”
Ever since the Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa match was announced, Chael Sonnen has expressed doubts about its occurrence. In his videos, Sonnen has repeatedly stated that the fight’s status is uncertain due to concerns about the fighters’ availability. As predicted, Costa has suffered an elbow injury, and although he claims he is still able to compete, Sonnen remains skeptical about the match taking place.
The highly anticipated Chimaev vs. Costa match does not have a substitute fighter with only 19 days left. Chael Sonnen has proposed a possible backup fighter in his YouTube video and is encouraging Dana White and the organization to take his suggestions into account.
Chael Sonnen suggests that the UFC should have a previous champion as the substitute fighter for the Chimaev vs. Costa match.
The ex-UFC fighter, aged 46, has consistently expressed his doubts about the Costa and Chimaev match taking place. He has urged the UFC to secure a substitute fighter in case either of the participants is unable to compete. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen stressed the importance of having a backup fighter for the Chimaev vs. Costa fight, which is just as crucial as the main event.
Sonnen mentioned that having a backup fighter in Abu Dhabi for the Paulo Costa versus Chimaev match is crucial. It cannot just be anyone because that is the main event that was promised six months ago and was the cause for a fight being broken up in Salt Lake City.
Chael Sonnen has noticed some unusual activity leading up to UFC 294, causing concern for Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa’s title shot chances.
Chael Sonnen has observed abnormal actions in the lead up to UFC 294, raising doubts about the potential for Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa to secure a title shot.
Later in the discussion, he stressed the importance of having a single backup fighter. This fighter, who is fully prepared and has actively requested these matchups, is none other than Kamaru Usman. “The perfect candidate already exists. He has expressed interest in the fight and is in top physical condition, as he always is. He needs to position himself now because the fight is less than a month away. He is the right choice to step in for Paulo Costa or Chimaev, whoever backs out first, and currently both of them are hesitating. A little insider information for you: that right choice is Kamaru Usman,” Sonnen revealed.
Chael Sonnen’s worries regarding the potential fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa.
Previously, Sonnen had expressed his worries about the upcoming fight. The experienced UFC fighter had a suspicion that the Chimaev vs. Costa matchup was not quite right. He pointed out that both fighters had faced challenges in actually stepping into the cage before.
On April 4, 2023, Chael Sonnen was present at the pre-fight press conference for BKFC 41 at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, NV. The event was covered by Amy Kaplan/Icon Sportswire and focused on boxing.
Sonnen stated that a match between Chimaev and Paulo Costa is being prepared as the top contender’s fight. However, the organization has not officially announced this and there seems to be a lack of promotion for the fight.
During the video, he explained why he was worried about not having a backup fighter for the highly anticipated match. He claimed that the UFC was trying to protect the event from being canceled by not having substitute fighters available. This shows that the organization is being careful and considering the possibility of problems with the match.
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The post Khamzat Chimaev Has Only One Rival to Replace Paulo Costa at UFC 294 & It Happens to Be a Former Champ – “That’s the Main Event” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
