Khamzat Chimaev and his anticipated bout have been nailed down to one factor by Gilbert Burns. The clash, for Burns, will likely be determined by the takedown ability and the clinching of the Chechen native.
Khamzat Chimaev, undefeated at 12-0, is set to take on 14-2 former title challenger Paulo Costa. The bout will take place at UFC 294, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Chimaev, coming off of a dominant submission win against “Big Mouth” Kevin Holland, looks to celebrate his return to the divisional weight limit by defeating the striker Paulo Costa. Costa, who beat former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold via decision at UFC 278, will attempt to spoil that return. Both men will be looking to establish themselves in the middleweight title discussions immediately.
Ranked 4 in the UFC welterweight rankings, this will be Chimaev’s first fight in the middleweight rankings. A baptism of fire, Paulo Costa’s rise to the top of the division was trademarked by his knockout power, demolishing his opponents on his way to a title shot. After two losses back to back, Costa redeemed himself in a fight of the night win against Luke Rockhold. With a win over Khamzat Chimaev, Costa has the potential for a rematch against champion Israel Adesanya.
The UFC pay-per-view in Abu Dhabi is headlined by one of the biggest rematches in UFC history Islam Makhachev vs Charles Olivieira. Chimaev and Costa’s bout at UFC 294 is set to be the co-main event.
Khamzat Chimaev and Costa’s Striking
At a UFC Q&A event, Burns explained how he believes Costa’s striking could challenge Chimaev.
“That is a good one. I’m gonna make a big breakdown of that on my YouTube channel. It’s a very close fight.”
“I think it’s gonna be decided in the clinch. I think Khamzat will come with a lot of pressure, try to take Costa down. If he’s able, it’s gonna be a big problem for Costa. But if Costa defends and can get away and use the striking, it’s gonna be a long night for Khamzat.
UFC Q&A Event (Singapore)
A former opponent of Khamzat Chimaev, nobody knows more about his abilities than Gilbert Burns. Burns, a former welterweight title challenger, believes that if Costa can stay on the feet, Chimaev will struggle with the striking. Chimaev, known for his wrestling, will likely be looking to use it to his advantage against ‘Borrachina’
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
