Paulo Costa found himself in a physical incident with an audience member at UFC 294. The Brazilian middleweight was originally scheduled to face off against Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event. However, his night took a different course when he suffered a gruesome elbow infection, forcing him to withdraw from the bout.
While Costa’s Octagon appearance was no longer a possibility, he still managed to throw punches in an unexpected and dramatic encounter with a then unidentified individual from the crowd.
During the UFC 294 broadcast, a video quickly went viral, capturing ‘Borrachinha’ in a heated confrontation that ultimately escalated
It has now come to light that Paulo Costa had engagedwith none other than Shovkhal Churchaev, a professional Russian MMA star.
Churchaev boasts an impressive professional MMA record of 5 wins and 1 loss, complemented by his boxing experience. This Russian had previously gained notoriety for another altercation during a podcast interview with an upcoming opponent, where he was also reported to have brandished a firearm.
Paulo Costa, in his own words, shed light on the circumstances that led to the dramatic altercation at UFC 294. While the initial narrative painted the fans as the aggressors, Costa revealed his side of the story in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
Costa explained, “A person uttered disrespectful words and gestures toward me. I responded by taunting him when we crossed paths. Later, I encountered him in the hallway, and as he approached, he resumed his offensive behavior. So, I decided to confront him, and that’s when things escalated.”
He further detailed the incident, saying, “Subsequently, several other individuals joined the fray, leaping over the barricades. Security personnel intervened, and the person who initially disrespected me physically confronted me. I noticed his distinctive features and swiftly made my move, striking his forehead with my arm. It was a lesson for those who assumed that my injury made me vulnerable.”