Paulo Costa threatens to fight outside UFC amid final-contract standoff over five-round terms

Paulo Costa has publicly warned the UFC he will fight elsewhere before the year is out, escalating a contract standoff centred on the terms of his final obligated bout. The Brazilian middleweight-turned-light-heavyweight posted the declaration on X on 12 October 2026, stating he had received no communication from the promotion.

“Nothing from the UFC,” Costa wrote. “I’m going to fight at an event at the end of the year. I’m in great shape and in my prime. I’m going to do what I love — fight somewhere.”

At the heart of the dispute is Costa’s objection to being offered five-round fights on his final contract appearance without additional financial compensation. “Borrachinha” has been vocal on social media about the issue and has made clear he wants to fulfil his contractual obligation and move on, rather than remain in a prolonged holding pattern.

Costa, now 16-4, arrives at this impasse in decent form. He has back-to-back wins over Roman Kopylov and previously unbeaten Azamat Murzakanov, results that had positioned him as a credible contender at light heavyweight. He had also lobbied for an interim title fight while champion Carlos Ulberg recovers from injury, but no bout was arranged.

With Ulberg sidelined and the UFC yet to offer Costa terms he finds acceptable, the 33-year-old appears genuinely open to taking a fight outside the organisation to stay active. Whether that constitutes a negotiating tactic or a firm intention remains to be seen, but his public posture leaves little ambiguity about his frustration.