Paulo Costa just challenged Khamzat Chimaev to a fight: Here's why the UFC should book it 

Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa have been on a collision course for some time now. Ever since the unbeaten Chechen was scheduled to fight Nate Diaz at UFC 279, 'Borrachinha' hasn't shown 'Borz' an ounce of respect. Instead, he predicted a Diaz win and began referring to Chimaev as a 'Gourmet Chechen.'

It is Costa's way of describing Chimaev as soft and pampered, gourmet for emigrating to Sweden at 18. The two even got into a heated confrontation at the UFC Performance Institute before UFC 279. Now, Costa has called for a fight with Chimaev, demanding that 'Borz' prove himself against a legitimate middleweight.

While Chimaev is still upset with the UFC for not being awarded his promised title shot, he would be wise to accept Costa's challenge, and the UFC would be wise to book the fight.

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Khamzat Chimaev needs to repair his image, among other things

The sport's perception of Khamzat Chimaev has changed drastically in the last two years. At one point, 'Borz' was regarded as unstoppable, thought of as the second coming of Khabib Nurmagomedov. After all, why wouldn't he be? He has elite wrestling and grappling skills, physicality, and regional similarities.

Chimaev had been dominant in every fight he had ever taken part in, finishing everyone who dared to oppose him, and with such supreme ease, it looked like he was manhandling children... but then came the Gilbert Burns fight. He and 'Durinho' dragged each other to the deepest of waters, shattering myths along the way.

Chimaev bled, which Nurmagomedov never had. He was knocked down, which Nurmagomedov never was. And he was made to look human, which can never be said about 'The Eagle.' In the eyes of many, he may have lost the fight with Burns despite being given the unanimous decision.

While bouncing back in impressive against Kevin Holland was important, the circumstances under which the bout was made were criticized. Chimaev missed weight by seven and a half pounds, causing the UFC to scrap his fight with Nate Diaz, a fight made as a showcase to wipe away the memory of the Burns fight.

Then he fought a Kamaru Usman who came in on very short notice to replace an injured Paulo Costa. While 'Borz' dominated round one, overpowering the former welterweight champion, the next two rounds were competitive, and he gassed out against a man who had absolutely no training camp.

Worse still, he barely won the fight, getting outstruck and outworked by Usman, with many calling for a draw, while some argued that Usman had actually won. The winner of the fight was promised a title shot, but Chimaev looked nothing like a winner, gasping for air against a foe who had no preparation.

Chimaev looked like a hype job who could finish lesser opponents but needed to be gifted controversial decisions to beat the top five fighters, one of whom came in on short notice to nearly outlast him in a three-rounder. Even worse, he called for a title shot after barely beating an aging welterweight who came off the couch.

There is only one way for Chimaev to rehabilitate his image. He must cease the pointless callouts of every new champion at welterweight and above, stop claiming his superiority over others based on sparring sessions behind closed doors, and he must fight Costa, an actual middleweight.

If he is to be one of the UFC's stars for years to come, even a potential headliner in future Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia cards, he must prove himself. Costa is a winnable but difficult fight, someone with whom he can co-headline an event and have an actually impressive performance against.

If he wins, perhaps the promotion will throw him a bone and grant him a title shot for beating the #7 ranked middleweight in the world. However, it would go a long way to reestablishing him as a noteworthy name. In doing so, he'd join a respectable class of fighters.

After all, the only people who have ever beaten Costa are two former champions and a one-time title challenger.

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Khamzat Chimaev must fight Paulo Costa while the Brazilian still has some value

Before UFC 298, Paulo Costa was in the top six of the middleweight division. After the event, he has dropped to the #7 spot. He has been unsuccessful against every opponent he has faced, who is currently ranked in the top 10. In fact, his only UFC wins are against fighters who are retired or no longer with the promotion.

Costa is good enough to compete but not good enough to win, it seems. Before he loses to someone else, someone who the fans hold in low regard, he should be used to prop up Khamzat Chimaev if the undefeated Chechen actually beats him. Waiting too long to book the Costa fight would accomplish nothing.

If the Brazilian is, say, matched up with Jared Cannonier and loses, his stock will fall tremendously, and he would have been wasted on a fighter who turns 40 years old next month. Instead, Costa must be used as part of a promotional push to get Chimaev closer to the title in a respectable manner.

This is especially important given how difficult it is to even get Costa into the octagon. He has pulled out of so many fights and caused the UFC enough headaches that he has to be recognized as someone who is a nightmare to deal with at the negotiating table.

After all, he once demanded more money directly following his humiliating TKO loss to Israel Adesanya, for which UFC CEO Dana White criticized him. It is fortunate, then, that a bout with Chimaev seems to be one of the only fights that Costa is actually interested in.

If Chimaev is victorious, not only would he benefit from beating a legitimate middleweight with a big name, but he would also be ridding the UFC of one of its more problematic fighters.

Now, if he loses, he will at least reveal to the promotion that it should not invest any more resources in him, as he would have failed to become the next big thing he was expected to.