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UFC News: Paulo Costa Throws Shade at Khamzat Chimaev Amidst Crypto Token Fallout

The latest headlines around Chimaev gave Costa a chance to reignite their feud.

Drew Beaupre

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Paulo Costa didn't pass up a chance to take a shot at Khamzat Chimaev after the unbeaten UFC middleweight has come under fire for promoting a new crypto token.

Manager Shares Khamzat Chimaev Health Update after UFC Saudi Arabia Withdrawal

Chimaev and Manager Update Fans on SMASH Token

Both top-ranked fighters in the UFC middleweight division, Chimaev and Costa have exchanged words online on several occasions and were even booked to meet at UFC 294 before “The Eraser” was forced to withdraw shortly before the event due to a nasty elbow infection.

“Borz” was supposed to headline UFC Saudi Arabia last month opposite Robert Whittaker before he became “violently ill” according to UFC CEO Dana White, but Chimaev has also recently made headlines for his efforts promoting a crypto token called SMASH that his manager Majdi Shammas has now updated fans on.

Shammas’ explanation was soon followed by a post from Chimaev himself, who shared a video from someone claiming to be “a part of the team” behind the SMASH token that was apparently meant to “pay homage” to the unbeaten UFC middleweight.

Costa Throws Shade at Chimaev

Chimaev has already deleted his posts promoting the SMASH token amidst the significant fallout around it, but that didn’t stop Costa from taking a shot at “Borz” in a possible effort to drum up interest in a rebooked fight between the two men.

Ranked at #8 in the UFC middleweight division, Costa is currently on a two-fight skid after he dropped a unanimous decision to Whittaker at UFC 298 and came up short against another former middleweight champion in Sean Strickland when the pair met in a five-round co-main event at UFC 302.

It’s unclear when Chimaev will be able to return to action following his health scare ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia, but given that Costa is still several spots ahead of him in the middleweight rankings that matchup could present an opportunity for the pair to settle their bad blood while still giving “Borz” a chance to move closer towards a UFC title shot.

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Drew Beaupre

DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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