Paulo Costa revealed new details about his next UFC fight, giving fans a better idea of what he is preparing for. The Brazilian addressed the speculation including the weight class he will be competing in.
Costa recently earned an impressive 3rd round TKO over Azamat Murzakanov in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 327.
After the fight, speculation emerged about what Costa would do next. While ‘Borrachinha’ performed well at light heavyweight, he left the door open for a return to middleweight.
Costa has won two straight fights and is in a strong position in both weight classes. It is also important to note that several top middleweight contenders are moving up to light heavyweight. That development could give the Brazilian a clear path to a middleweight title shot.
Paulo Costa Says The UFC Will Determine His Next Fight
Paulo Costa also noted that the UFC will ultimately determine his next opponent and contested weight. Several appealing options are available to the matchmakers.
Costa has a well-documented history with former middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev. They were scheduled to fight at UFC 294, but a staph infection forced the Brazilian to withdraw from the event.
Since then, Costa has expressed interest in fighting Chimaev. After ‘Borz’ lost the middleweight championship to Sean Strickland, a move to light heavyweight was confirmed. If Chimaev makes the move to 205 pounds, Costa could face him next.
Another potential scenario could see Costa return to 185 pounds and make another push for a middleweight title shot.
Costa made it clear that he is open to competing in both weight classes.
“Right now I could start a training camp to fight either at middleweight or light heavyweight. Both work for me. But what will determine that is what the UFC has planned for me. I can’t choose fights alone. There are three parties involved: Paulo, the UFC, and my opponent,” Costa exclusively told Heavy Sports via Compare.Bet. “All three have to agree to the fight. The hardest thing is knowing what the UFC wants. Unfortunately everything has to go through the UFC. I wish it didn’t have to, but it does.”
He added:
“There’s always this backstage game and negotiation process.”
Costa Reacts to Latest Win Over Murzakanov
Costa also shared his thoughts on his win over Murzakanov at UFC 327. The Brazilian noted that he had a tactical approach and stuck to his strategy.
“The tactical side was the most important. If I had been technically sharp, physically prepared, landing my shots properly, but my strategy hadn’t been right, I think the fight would’ve gone in a completely different direction,” Costa exclusively told Heavy Sports via Compare.Bet. “I could have lost that fight because maybe I would have gone into a direct firefight, like I’ve done in other fights before. That would have been a fatal mistake.”
Costa said that he needed to constantly move to ensure he was able to find openings with his striking.
“You could see I was always circling around the octagon because I didn’t want a direct exchange in the 1st round. From the 2nd round onwards, I started moving less, and in the 3rd, I went into the exchanges.”
Paulo Costa Opens Up About His Next Fight: Exclusive