Paulo Costa cites UFC delay in booking his contract's final fight, is open to heavyweight matchup as well
Paulo Costa has expressed his willingness to compete in the UFC heavyweight division as he heads into the final fight of his contract with the MMA promotion.
Paulo Costa appears to have expressed his disappointment with the UFC over what he implied is a delay in them booking his next fight.
The one-time UFC middleweight title challenger asserted that he has just one fight left on his UFC deal and would like to complete it at the earliest.
His latest assertion comes amid ongoing speculation about whether he'd choose to re-sign with the UFC or compete elsewhere. Costa had, notably, teased a possible move to MVP MMA on Netflix after the platform hosted the MVP MMA: Rousey vs. Carano event in May.
Paulo Costa criticizes UFC over supposed delay in booking his contract's final fight, ready to compete at heavyweight and in other divisions
Paulo Costa's most recent octagon appearance witnessed him defeat Azamat Murzakanov via third-round TKO. Their light heavyweight matchup co-headlined UFC 327 back in April. It marked the then-unbeaten Murzakanov's first MMA loss.
Taking to X, Costa has now drawn attention to the fact that he's been lobbying for the UFC to book his next fight ever since.
The longtime UFC star wrote, "Since I defeated Azamat in April, I have been looking for the next fight. I've eventually opened the door to fight at heavyweight. UFC told me to wait...wait..."
Having competed mainly at middleweight, and lately making a mark at light heavyweight, Costa continued:
"Here we are it's already July and I still looking to fight someone else at light heavyweight, middleweight or even heavyweight but the answer from @ufc by Hunter Campbell is the same : "Wait". I want to fight I don't want to wait."
The Brazilian fighter took aim at UFC CBO Hunter Campbell and added, "I have just one more fight at my contract and I want this fight happen soon, but for some reason They don't."
Since I defeated Azamat in April, I have been looking for the next fight. I ve eventually opened the door to fight at heavyweight. UFC told me to wait…wait…
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) June 29, 2026
Here we are it’s already July and I still looking to fight someone else at Lightheavyweight, middleweight or even…
Moreover, a fan suggested that Costa deserves a fight against Ciryl Gane, to which "The Eraser" seemed to lightheartedly indicate that he wouldn't want to face Gane. Costa wrote, "I don't want it kkkklol."
Gane, who's a two-time interim UFC heavyweight champion and in his second stint as the division's interim champion, sparked controversy in his second-round TKO victory against Brazil's Alex Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
The French fighter was accused of landing several illegal strikes, back-of-the-head shots, against Pereira. The latter and many others in the MMA world later criticized Gane and Referee Herb Dean over the illegal strikes debacle.
They also cited Gane's history of landing apparently illegal strikes -- including back-of-the-head shots against Junior Dos Santos, Tai Tuivasa, and more.
Well, Costa seemed to allude to Gane's reputation as a dangerous fighter and jestingly replied to the aforementioned fan's suggestion that he fight Gane.
I don’t want it kkkklol
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) June 29, 2026
Jiri Prochazka vs. Paulo Costa -- potential light heavyweight clash seems unlikely for UFC 330
The UFC 330 event will be headlined by reigning welterweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who'll attempt to make his first defense of the 170-pound belt against Ian Machado Garry.
The much-awaited event will transpire on August 15, and many expected it to also feature a light heavyweight clash between ex-UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka and Paulo Costa.
Some even speculated that with reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg on a hiatus due to knee injury issues, the potential Prochazka-Costa fight could have an interim title at stake.
Nevertheless, Costa's latest X posts make it seem as though his rumored clash against Prochazka hasn't been booked yet and is unlikely to materialize at UFC 330.
