Jared Cannonier predicts Paolo Costo will dominate the octagon against Khamzat Chemaev at UFC 294. Costa will face Chimaev in a middleweight bout at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 21. Most of Chimaev’s opponents have failed to deal with his grappling. Still, former championship challenger Cannonier believes Costa can compete on the ground with him.
Continue reading to find out why Cannonier has such high hopes for Costa against the high-functioning grappling machine, Khamzat Chemaev!
Cannonier told Helen Yee that he considered the fight to be a good one. He mentioned that Costa’s skills on the ground were not to be underestimated, even though not much had been seen of him in that aspect. It seemed that Costa preferred to showcase his punching and kicking abilities while standing rather than relying on his high-level ground skills.
Costa is a +260 underdog, which means a $100 bet on the Brazilian would result in a $260 profit, as per BetMG. On the other hand, Chimaev is a -350 favourite, which means a $350 bet on “Borz” would yield a $100 profit. Ultimately if Cannonier had to bet on the bout, he’d go with Costa to pull off the upset. He believes Chimaev has yet to cope with someone of “Borrachinha’s” stature. Cannonier mentioned that if he were someone who placed bets, he would tend to lean more towards Costa in that particular fight. He pointed out that Costa’s significant size, stature, and skill level presented a unique challenge for Khamzat, as he had not yet competed against an opponent of such attributes.
However, Cannonier also acknowledged Khamzat’s considerable skills, stating that he, too, possessed the ability to excel in combat situations. He described the upcoming fight between Costa and Khamzat as one that would be enjoyable to watch, emphasizing the interest it generated due to the potential impact it could have on the fighters’ respective positions in the sport. Overall, Cannonier expressed his anticipation for what promised to be an intriguing and exciting matchup between two highly talented fighters.
From Cannonier’s perspective, this will obviously be an eventful bout. So, what are your predictions for the fight between Paolo Costa and Khamzat Chemaev? Let us know who you are rooting for in the comments!
