"It looks like bursitis" - Paulo Costa warned about grim consequences of fighting too soon after elbow surgery
Former UFC star Alan Jouban recently warned Paulo Costa against fighting immediately after elbow surgery and recalled suffering the consequences of competing too soon after undergoing a similar bursitis operation.
For context, Costa recently revealed that he was diagnosed with a nasty "bursitis infection" while acclimatizing in Abu Dhabi for his fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. While it was previously thought to be a staph infection, Costa's elbow inflamed severely after he resumed hard training in Abu Dhabi.
Since bursitis causes the bursae (small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles in joints) to inflame and swell, it can cause serious pain and restrict joint movements. In Costa's case, doctors were unwilling to risk further damage and ordered immediate surgery on his right elbow.
After surgery, Paulo Costa needed ten stitches and two weeks of rest before he could train again. However, the Brazilian recently confirmed that he plans to fight Chimaev five weeks after his surgery, regardless of whether his elbow has fully healed or not.
Unsurprisingly, many are concerned about him suffering an even more serious injury during the fight. In a recent tweet, Alan Jouban warned Paulo Costa that he had a similar bursitis surgery and outlined the devastating consequences of fighting too soon after the operation. He wrote:
"Did Costa say what that surgery was from? Because it looks like bursitis where they removed it. I’ve got the same scar. And I tried coming back too soon and opened the whole thing up and had to have it re-stitched three weeks later."
Read Jouban's tweet below:
UFC 294: Chael Sonnen on Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev
Chael Sonnen recently weighed in on the upcoming Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout at UFC 294 and opined that it was the most interesting fight on the card.
Costa and Chimaev have intensified their rivalry over the past few months and waste no opportunity to take shots at each other on social media. Given the build-up for this bout paired with their impressive resumes, this fight is unsurprisingly one of the most highly anticipated contests on the UFC 294 card.
In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen shared his thoughts on the Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight and explained why it was the most intriguing fight to watch from a North American perspective. He said:
"I believe that [UFC 294] main event... Paulo Costa vs. Khamzat Chimaev...Here in North America, that's the fight... Whoever wins this fight, I believe, will be announced quickly as long as we don't have an injury... Next in line for [Sean] Strickland...This is what we like as fans, right, we like these high-stake matches."
Catch Sonnen's comments below (0:08):