Paulo Costa Deletes Blistering UFC Criticism After Taking Aim at Dana White

Paulo Costa did not shy away from making his frustration with the UFC clear. However, his latest jab at the promotion and Dana White didn't stay up for long.

The Brazilian light heavyweight contender took aim at the UFC's leadership and matchmaking in a now-deleted post on X, questioning the promotion's direction, while suggesting that White was focusing more on boxing and his rivalry with Eddie Hearn than the company he built.

MMA Marcus shared a screenshot of Costa's post on Oct. 3, claiming “Paulo Costa got the call and deleted this.” Costa's comments come amid ongoing frustration over his next fight and his contract situation with the promotion.

Costa Takes Aim at UFC Leadership

Costa did not hold back in his judgement of the UFC's current direction.

Paulo Costa got the call and deleted this https://t.co/AaYLRVhEIO

— MMA Marcus (@mmamarcuss) October 3, 2026

“The UFC seems lost—lacking focus and direction,” Costa wrote. “Fight cards are cobbled together from whatever is left over, and Dana White mixes up fighters’ names; he appears more focused on boxing and his rivalry with Eddie Hearn than on the company he built," the deleted post read.

His criticism also extended to the heavyweight division, where Costa firmly believed that Alexander Volkov deserved a title opportunity. 

“Volkov should be fighting for the heavyweight title; great matchups aren’t happening due to sheer incompetence,” Costa wrote. “After all, empires often crumble from within.”

The comments came during a dispute over his next UFC appearance. The 35-year-old reportedly has one bout left on his current contract. He expressed frustration with the five-round opportunities he had been offered, arguing that his contract initially called for three-round bouts unless he received extra compensation. 

Dana White Has Pushed Back

White had previously offered a different take on Costa's situation, claiming the fighter had been offered fights but had turned them down. Subsequently, Costa acknowledged it, admitting that he had received several proposals but maintained that compensation for the five-round contests remained the real issue. 

While Costa's latest criticism may have disappeared from X, the deleted post adds a layer to his increasingly public dispute with the UFC.