TLDR
- Paulo Costa has one fight left on his UFC contract and says it should be a three-round bout based on his agreed purse
- Costa gave the UFC three options: book a three-round fight, give him a five-round fight with higher pay, or release him immediately
- Costa is on a two-fight win streak with knockouts over Roman Kopylov and Azamat Murzakanov at light heavyweight
- Magomed Ankalaev responded to Costa’s post, offering to fight him and calling it a win-win situation for Costa
- UFC champion Carlos Ulberg is sidelined until 2027 with a knee injury, creating uncertainty in the division
Sources: mmafighting.com | sherdog.com
Paulo Costa has made his contract dispute with the UFC public, giving the promotion three options to resolve his situation. The Brazilian fighter has one bout remaining on his current deal and says the UFC is not moving forward with his plans.
Costa posted a detailed message on social media addressed to UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell. He stated that his contract specifies payment for a three-round fight, not a five-round main event.
“I have 1 fight left,” Costa wrote. “On my contract the purse is set for 3 rounds, not 5. I’m asking for the 3-round fight that was already agreed on contract. It can be anyone on the UFC LHW roster.”
The fighter is coming off two straight wins, knocking out Roman Kopylov and most recently Azamat Murzakanov. His victory over the previously undefeated Murzakanov came at light heavyweight, where Costa has now campaigned to stay.
Paulo Costa REVEALS he only has 1 FIGHT left on his #UFC deal, and sends a message to the UFC brass 👀 🤔 pic.twitter.com/uPAashaJTE
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 21, 2026
Costa’s Three Demands to the UFC
Costa laid out three specific options for the promotion. The first option is to give him his contracted three-round fight against any light heavyweight on the roster.
His second option involves accepting a five-round fight on short notice. Costa said he would take any opponent in six weeks but demands a pay increase to match the longer bout. “That’s the minimum that’s fair, right?” he wrote.
The third option is the most drastic: release him from his contract immediately. Costa signed his message “Simple and clean” and dated it September 18, 2026, from Las Vegas, Nevada.
The UFC faces uncertainty at the top of the light heavyweight division. Current champion Carlos Ulberg suffered a knee injury during his title victory over Jiri Prochazka and will remain out until 2027.
Costa has previously pushed for an interim title fight if the UFC offers enough money for him to re-sign with the promotion. However, he later revealed the UFC showed no interest in that matchup.
Ankalaev Responds to Costa’s Post
Former title challenger Magomed Ankalaev quickly responded to Costa’s public statement. Ankalaev offered himself as an opponent and tried to convince Costa the matchup makes sense.
“You beat me, you become a free agent and make millions,” Ankalaev wrote in response. “I beat you, everybody expected me to beat you anyway. You have nothing to lose.”
Ankalaev called himself Costa’s “get-out-of-jail-free card” and ended his message with a simple challenge: “Let’s fight.” Ankalaev most recently finished Bogdan Guskov in July 2026.
An interim title fight between Costa and Ankalaev could solve multiple problems for the UFC. It would give Costa the high-profile bout he wants while keeping Ankalaev active in title contention.
Costa’s record stands at 16-4 overall. His recent success at light heavyweight has come after years competing at middleweight, where he challenged for the title against Israel Adesanya in 2020.
The UFC has not publicly responded to Costa’s ultimatum. The promotion typically does not comment on contract negotiations or disputes with fighters.
