Paulo Costa recently expressed his disappointment with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) for turning down his request to step in to save UFC 332 next month (Sat., Oct. 3, 2026) after women’s Flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko, had to bow out with an injury (details here), with the promotion opting to instead book a vacant women’s Flywweight title fight between Wang Cong vs. Natalia Silva.
It has not gone over well … at all.
Now, the hulking Brazilian bruiser has revealed that the promotion also turned down his request to be released from his multi-million dollar contract. Costa explained to Yahoo! Sports that he has asked for his release from his contract numerous times … even though he only has one more fight left on his current deal.
“We already asked to be released, but they refused,” Costa said. “They said, ‘No, we’re not going to release you. You need to do one more at least.’ Actually, I’ve been asking for this a couple of times. The most recent was like days ago. … It’s not about relationships. We are professionals. Just go, show up, fight, that’s it. I’m very professional, they are professional as well. It’s not about relationship. I’m an honest guy,” he added, before saying he isn’t holding anything personal against the UFC higher ups, he just wants to compete against the best of the best while he can.
“I just say what I think,” Costa added. “I don’t like to fake anything. It’s not about a fight against them. They’re doing their business and I do mine. I’m looking for big fights. I’m looking for big names. I think the fans want to see a great fight, a big fight. I’m in this position right now to make the big fights, and I want to bring these exciting fights to the fans. That’s my goal right now.”
One of the caveats that Costa had in place while offering to fill UFC 332’s main event void was if the promotion created an interim Light Heavyweight title while division kingpin, Carlos Ulberg, heals from recent surgery. When the promotion refused and opted to go a different route that confused almost everyone, Costa’s frustrations only grew.
“I’m sad because I think we could have given a much better fight card going on for the Salt Lake City fans,” Costa said. “I don’t think fans are so happy, I’m not happy, but it’s not about me. I’ve asked to fight since May. I asked them to fight in June, July, August. They told me to wait. I don’t know why. Maybe because the Light Heavyweight division is a little bit uncertain, it didn’t have too much fighters available.
”The guys coming from losses and stuff,” he added. “So, I was waiting for a fight, I was asking for a fight. They first came up with five days’ short notice to fight (Magomed Ankalaev) in Abu Dhabi. Of course I say, ‘Come on.’ Any time, give me a decent date, give me a schedule, but they didn’t give me that. I asked to fight in Salt Lake City, I asked to fight everywhere. California, UFC Noche, but for some reason, UFC doesn’t want to put the interim Light Heavyweight belt on the line. I think this is a disaster.”
Costa has been fighting for the promotion for nearly a decade now and has only competed 12 times during that span, amassing a solid 8-4 record. He did work his way up to a Middleweight title fight in 2020, but he ultimately came up short against Israel Adesanya, who knocked him out in round two. Since then, Costa has been trying to get back to another championship bout, but he has failed to do so in large part to his inactivity, competing only six times in that six-year span since the loss.
Now, it seems he has run out of patience and is determined to look elsewhere for the title fight he longs for. There are some limited options, including RIZIN, the new (and hopefully improved) PFL-MVP promotion, as well as Scott Coker’s mysterious upstart organization.
Before then, however, Costa will have to fight one more time, at least, to see his deal through with Dana White & Co. since they are adamant that is the only way he will be allowed to sign elsewhere.
That said, who do you want to see Costa fight next in what could be his final UFC fight ever?
To checkout the latest and greatest UFC 332 fight card click here.