Paulo Costa moving on from Khamzat Chimaev feud: ‘I think he’s done’

Paulo Costa has indicated he no longer expects to face Khamzat Chimaev, despite years of public feuding between the middleweight rivals. The two have traded barbs repeatedly without ever being matched up competitively. While Chimaev ascended to UFC middleweight champion, Costa endured a slump before recently rebounding with consecutive wins over Azamat Murzakanov and Roman Kopylov. Chimaev's recent title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 328 might have created an opening for the long-awaited clash, but Costa believes the timing has passed. In his assessment, Costa thinks Chimaev's momentum has stalled following the Strickland defeat and doesn't anticipate a quick recovery. The middleweight appears skeptical that a fight between them will ever materialize, effectively closing the chapter on a rivalry that captivated fans but never translated into an actual bout.