Paulo Costa says there’s nothing manufactured about his rivalry with Khamzat Chimaev entering UFC 294 . Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is set to return to the octagon and officially welcome Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) to the top of the middleweight division when they meet in a key matchup on the Oct. 21 fight card, which takes place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The matchup has been brewing for nearly a year, after the pair had a run-in at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas prior to Chimaev’s UFC 279 victory over Kevin Holland . Although Costa, 32, likes to joke around and be lighthearted at times, he said the fight with Chimaev, 29, is no joking matter, and the “beef” is legit. “100 percent (real),” Costa told MMA Junkie in an interview facilitated by his sponsors at OnlyFans
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