Paulo Costa Agrees to Four-Fight Deal, Eyes Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland Next

Paulo Costa Agrees to Four-Fight Deal, Eyes Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland Next

Liam Lindsay|
March 23, 2023|
2

The #5 ranked Middleweight Paulo "The Eraser" Costa has agreed on a new four-fight deal with the UFC following his previous contractual disputes with them, per Paulo Costa via PTV.

Costa was supposed to face Robert Whittaker back in Perth, Australia, at UFC 284, but the bout was scrapped as he wanted more money from UFC, believing he was on an unfavorable wage for a fighter of his caliber. During this period, Costa hinted that he might be leaving the UFC to visit other endeavors, with other MMA promotions and boxing mentioned in the conversation. However, now it appears he's back on good terms with the UFC and will continue to fight in the promotion.

In an interview with PTV on YouTube, Costa mentioned some names he could return against.

The UFC wants to make sure the Khamzat Chimaev fight happens at all costs, but I want to make the Chimaev and Sean Strickland fights happen. We will see.
- Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa remaining in the UFC will be a solace to fans, as "The Eraser" has become a fan favorite in recent years, gaining a large following on social media platforms, especially Twitter, for his fan-friendly fighting style and hilarious memes online. In his eight UFC bouts, he's earned himself four performance bonuses and a Fight of The Year contender against Yoel Romero in 2019. His last bout was a Fight of The Night decision victory against former Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold at UFC 278.

Paulo Costa celebrating after his Fight of The Night against Luke Rockhold. Credits to: Jeffrey Swinger - USA TODAY Sports.
Paulo Costa celebrating after his Fight of The Night against Luke Rockhold. Credits to: Jeffrey Swinger - USA TODAY Sports.

Are you excited to see Paulo Costa return to the UFC octagon, and who do you think he'll face next? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know your feelings and prediction in the comments below.

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