Tag Archives: Khamzat Chimaev

Paulo Costa to Fight Undefeated Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294

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Paulo Costa is switching opponents…

The 32-year-old Brazilian professional mixed martial artist will face undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in the Octagon at 185 pounds at UFC 294 on October 21 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, UFC president Dana White has announced.

Paulo CostaCosta and Chimaev are two of the most popular fighters in the UFC middleweight division.

The card will be headlined by a lightweight title rematch between champion Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira. It’s unclear if the Chimaev-Costa bout will be the co-main event. 

Costa had been scheduled to fight Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 291 next week in Salt Lake City, but was pulled from that fight to face Chimaev. Aliskerov will now fight at UFC 294 against Nassourdine Imavov.

ESPN has Chimaev ranked No. 4 in the world at welterweight, while Costa is rated No. 7 at middleweight.

Chimaev (12-0) has not fought since September, a first-round submission of Kevin Holland at UFC 279. He missed weight before what would have been a fight with Nate Diaz on that card before being given Holland as a replacement.

The Chechen-born fighter is 6-0 in the UFC with five finishes. Chimaev, 29, holds the UFC modern record for the fastest three-fight winning streak (66 days).

Costa (14-2) is coming off a unanimous decision over Luke Rockhold at UFC 278 in August 2022. The Brazilian fighter snapped a two-fight losing streak with that victory. Costa has won six of his eight UFC fights with the lone losses coming to Marvin Vettori and champion Israel Adesanya in a title fight.

UFC Finalizing Plans for Nate Diaz-Khamzat Chimaev Fight in September

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Nate Diaz is thisclose to his next fight…

The UFC is finalizing a welterweight fight between the Mexican-American mixed martial artist and Khamzat Chimaev.

Nate DiazThe Diaz-Chimaev fight would headline UFC 279 on September 10, UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell tells ESPN.

Contracts haven’t been signed, but both fighters have verbally agreed to the matchup and date according to Campbell. UFC 279 will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Zach Rosenfield, Diaz’s representative, confirmed the date and opponent of Diaz’s next fight.

“This is a fight Nate has been asking for since the middle of April,” Rosenfield told ESPN on Tuesday.

Diaz (20-13) has been vocal in 2022 about wishing to fight out his current UFC contract, which has one fight remaining. According to sources, Diaz’s camp and the UFC were involved in discussions around a new contract, however Diaz recently made it very clear he wished to fight out the deal.

One of the most popular fighters on the roster, Diaz hasn’t fought since a decision loss to current UFC welterweight title challenger Leon Edwards in June 2021.

Chimaev (11-0) is coming off a decision victory over Gilbert Burns at UFC 273 in April. It was the most competitive fight of Chiamev’s professional career, but it also came against a former UFC title challenger.

Chimaev, who was born in Chechnya and now fights out of Stockholm, is one of the fastest-rising title contenders in UFC history. He is 5-0 since signing with the promotion in 2020.

“I am going to handle Nate Diaz’s funeral with the UFC,” said Chimaev, in a statement he provided in Swedish to his representatives.

Loopy Godinez Set to Make Modern UFC History Once Again with Fight Against Loma Lookboonmee

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Lupita “Loopy“ Godinez isn’t afraid to stay busy…

The 28-year-old Mexican mixed martial artist and UFC fighter will step in on short notice to fight Loma Lookboonmee at UFC Fight Night on November 20 in Las Vegas, UFC officials have confirmed.

Loopy Godinez Godinez’s next fight comes one month after she fought twice in the span of two weeks, making history during that period.

Lookboonmee’s original opponent, Cheyanne Buys, withdrew this week after testing positive for COVID-19, Buys wrote on Instagram. Godinez vs. Lookboonmee will be contested at strawweight.

When she steps into the Octagon next week, Godinez will set a modern UFC record with three fights in the span of 43 days, per ESPN Stats & Information research. The previous record was 65 days set by Dustin Pague in 2012. Top UFC prospect Khamzat Chimaev fought three times in 67 days last year.

Godinez’s activity would be the shortest span between three fights since Tank Abbott and Don Frye fought three times in one night at UFC: Ultimate Ultimate 96 on December 7, 1996.

Godinez (6-2) beat Silvana Gomez Juarez via first-round submission in her second UFC bout October 9. A week later, the Mexican fighter, who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, fell to Luana Carolina via unanimous decision October 16 in a flyweight fight. Godinez, 28, is 1-2 in the UFC.

Lookboonmee (6-2), a 25-year-old prospect out of Thailand, has won two straight in the UFC.