'I've asked to end my contract for months'

'I wanted a big fight but got only a short-notice offer'

UFC star Paulo Costa (Getty Images)
UFC star Paulo Costa (Getty Images)

UFC star Paulo Costa said he has asked UFC several times to terminate his contract, only to be turned down each time. He currently has just one fight left on his UFC deal.

Costa recently aired his frustration with the promotion. When women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko withdrew from UFC 332 on Oct. 3 (local time) due to injury, he offered to step in as the main-event fighter, but UFC declined. Instead, the promotion booked a championship bout between Wang Cong and Natalia Silva for the belt Shevchenko had vacated.

The decision drew considerable criticism. Many argued that Wang Cong, who has a modest 5-1 record and no main-card experience, was not qualified to headline a numbered event. Amid the backlash, Costa asked to take the main event himself. He proposed UFC create an interim light heavyweight title and stage the bout as a title fight, but he was rejected again.

That appears to have been the tipping point for Costa, who has since turned decisively away from UFC. He has also gone public with his frustrations over being unable to secure fights, hinting he may leave the promotion. In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Costa said he has only one fight remaining on his current deal and has already asked UFC multiple times to release him from it.

"We already asked to be released from the contract, but UFC refused. UFC said, 'No, you need to fight at least one more time,'" Costa said. "Honestly, I've asked several times. The most recent time was just a few days ago."

Costa said that while continuing to press for a contract termination, he also asked UFC to keep booking him fights starting in May, but the promotion never did. "The first thing UFC offered was fighting Magomed Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi five days before the event," he said. "I turned down that fight, since there wasn't even time to prepare, and asked for a proper date and schedule instead. But UFC never gave me that match."

"I said I'd fight in Salt Lake City, California, Noche — anywhere," Costa said, adding that he asked to keep fighting for the interim light heavyweight title at the next event as well. "But for some reason, UFC doesn't want to put the interim light heavyweight title on the line. I think this is a disaster," he said, not hiding his disappointment.

Costa has been with UFC for nearly a decade but has fought just 12 times in that span, posting an 8-4 record. In 2020, he earned a middleweight title shot but lost by second-round knockout to then-champion Israel Adesanya. He has tried to work his way back into title contention since, without success. His limited activity — only six fights in the six years since the Adesanya bout — has been a major obstacle.

Paulo Costa (left), who moved up to light heavyweight, lands a high kick on Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 in April. (Getty Images)
Paulo Costa (left), who moved up to light heavyweight, lands a high kick on Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 in April. (Getty Images)

Costa's patience appears to have run out. He now seems to be looking outside UFC for the title shot he wants, and the odds are growing that he will leave the promotion once he fulfills the single fight remaining on his contract.

His options are limited, but candidates include PFL, which MVP recently merged into, Japan's Rizin, and a new organization former Bellator President Scott Coker plans to launch later this year.

Costa recently signed a management deal with Matchroom Talent Agency, run by boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who is known for his rivalry with UFC President Dana White. The agency also represents UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry. Hearn is someone capable of engaging in a tug-of-war with UFC, even to the point of pulling his fighters away from the promotion.

"I want big fights. I want to fight famous fighters. I'm in a position now where I can get those big matches, and I want to give fans exciting fights to watch. That's my goal right now," Costa said.

What opponent will UFC give Costa for his next fight? Given that he has hinted at leaving, it seems unlikely the promotion will hand him a title-shot opportunity such as an interim championship bout.


yjc@heraldcorp.com