Daniel Cormier thinks Paulo Costa could gain bargaining power to sign new UFC contract if he defeats Khamzat Chimaev
Daniel Cormier has addressed a potential fight between Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev. Cormier referenced Chimaev's recent YouTube vlog, wherein 'Borz' claimed that four opponents turned down the offer to fight him next.
Chimaev didn't reveal the fighters' names. Regardless, 'DC' suggested that Chimaev could fight UFC welterweight elites such as divisional champion Leon Edwards, Belal Muhammad, and Colby Covington. Additionally, Cormier indicated that 'Borz' could also face top-tier UFC middleweights such as reigning divisional champion Alex Pereira, Robert Whittaker, and Marvin Vettori.
Watch Chimaev's vlog below:
Alternatively, Daniel Cormier asserted that Paulo Costa, whose next fight will be the last of his current UFC contract, would make for a fun opponent against the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev.
'DC' believes that beating 'Borz' would give Costa significant leverage in his ongoing pay dispute with the UFC and help him negotiate for a new lucrative UFC contract. Taking to his YouTube channel, Cormier stated:
"Paulo Costa is about done with his UFC contract. The UFC will give you a fight to make you prove why we should pay you if you're at the end [of your UFC contract]. Because, if Paulo Costa goes and beats Khamzat Chimaev, he might get anything he wants. So, for him, it makes sense."
"But if he [Costa] gets beat and wiped out, now what? That bargaining power is a little bit less. Do you still kind of move the needle a little bit? Yeah. But imagine how much you would move the needle if you're the first guy to beat Khamzat Chimaev and hopefully beat him impressively. Then, you hold all the chips. When I say chips, I mean the dollars, baby."
Watch Cormier discuss the topic at 10:36 in the video below:
Is a Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev dream matchup on the horizon?
Paulo Costa was scheduled to fight Robert Whittaker at UFC 284 on February 12, 2023. However, Costa recently announced that he wasn't happy with the pay the UFC offered him to fight Whittaker, which is why their matchup won't materialize. It's unclear as to who the Brazilian middleweight star will face next.
The highly anticipated middleweight bout between Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa will not happen at UFC 284 as planned, sources have told @bokamotoESPN. https://t.co/BLwbWSsYKx
Meanwhile, UFC President Dana White has hinted that the organization could book Khamzat Chimaev to fight Colby Covington in a potential No.1-contender's welterweight bout at UFC 286 on March 18, 2023. Nevertheless, the fight hasn't been officially announced yet.
Furthermore, it's believed that Costa, who's never fought at welterweight, won't be facing bitter rival Chimaev next. 'Borz', who has competed at both welterweight and middleweight, will likely have to return to middleweight again if he intends to fight Costa. Considering the aforementioned variables at play, a possible Costa-Chimaev dream matchup seems unlikely to materialize anytime soon.
Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev having an argument at the UFC PI.😳
https://t.co/mE3sBL1DgK