Paulo Costa wanted a fight and it looked like he’d get it by hook or by crook. The fighter pulled out of his co-main event fight against Khamzat Chimaev due to an elbow injury.
His elbow had to be treated surgically and this complication led to him pulling out days before the fight.
Now, the fighter was present in the audience at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. While watching what could have been his match, Costa ended up in a scuffle himself. The fighter was seen brawling with another audience member as the Chimaev vs Kamaru Usman fight went on.
Fans reacted to an injured Paulo Costa throwing himself into the crowd after a fight at UFC 294
Fans on Twitter (X) had a lot to say about the debacle next to the co-main event. Security guards around the cage quickly rushed to the scene as Paulo Costa tried to fight back. Several audience members tried to jump over the fighter and then several security guards to keep the fight going. The clip soon went viral on Twitter, here are some of the best reactions from fans.
While some fans brought back Costa’s “gourmet Chen Chen” comment, others commented on Costa pulling out.
Yet some other fans just relished in the entertainment brought on by the little scuffle.
Others just called out Costa his ways.
Meanwhile, there were some who thought it was the crowd.
Yet some others brought attention to his injured elbow.
Some others questioned the identity of the man who fought Paulo Costa.
Others thought that Costa was reaching for attention.
So, Paulo Costa clearly has a fight to pick with someone. Perhaps it was a verbal argument with one of Chimaev’s fans that went sideways. Tempers can flare up high in high-octane situations like these. As of right now, the identities of the people who attacked Costa remain unknown but the fight was broken off before things went sideways.
What happened during Chimaev’s fight?
Khamzat Chimaev picked up a victory but it didn’t come without its own struggle. The fighter went up against ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ and came out the better fighter. However, Kamaru Usman proved his will of steel quite visibly. The fight was won by majority decision but that meant that the less prepared Usman lasted all three rounds.
In fact, Usman effectively deflected Chimaev’s various attempts at taking him down. ‘Borz’ tried to get into a submission chokehold several times but to no avail. Usman would take hits to his face and struggle until each round was over.
The Nigerian fighter himself managed to land some impressive jabs and strikes throughout the match. When the match ended, the two hugged dearly and Chimaev delivered a heartwarming message to the audience at Abu Dhabi. Who were you rooting for at the co-main event? Let us know in the comments.