The digital Octagon buzzed yesterday as Paulo Costa took to social media to call out Jared Cannonier, imploring UFC CEO Dana White to ink the matchup. Once the division’s bulldozer with five straight victims in his wake, Costa’s championship dreams were violently shattered when Israel Adesanya painted a masterpiece of destruction across his canvas at UFC 253. That 2020 dismantling marked the beginning of Costa’s competitive free-fall—a painful 1-4 spiral that’s left the Brazilian powerhouse grasping for relevance in the shark-infested middleweight waters. His latest setback—a razor-thin defeat at the hands of the verbose former champ Sean Strickland at UFC 302—only intensified the whispers about his fading star.

Yet behind the losses, Costa’s carnival-barker charisma remains undefeated. Speaking with Croatia’s @voyoHarvatska, ‘Borrachinha’ revealed his imminent comeback plans with characteristic bravado: “I’m getting ready for my next fight; it should happen in April, and I just started my training camp.” The Brazilian bruiser specifically named Cannonier as his desired dance partner.

But the fight game rarely follows a predictable script. After Cannonier’s recent yet brutal triumph over Gregory Rodrigues at UFC Vegas 102, Costa’s tone shifted dramatically. Like a jilted lover, he announced to his followers: “Jared is out for a while 😞. Source: UFC.” This was about the 40-year-old suffering some wear and tear after his recent outing.

Never one to wallow, Costa immediately swiveled his spotlight toward another target—undefeated wrestling phenom Bo Nickal—with a characteristically mischievous tweet: “Is Bo N—al available?” And with Cannonier’s status clouded in mystery, the door has creaked open for something altogether more intriguing.

To be honest, more than Cannonier, the questions linger upon Costa’s activity in recent years. The former title contender has only stepped inside the Octagon five times in the last five years. Whether it was waiting for the right matchup, or dealing with injuries, multiple setbacks have resulted in the Brazilian being on the sidelines. This included a staph infection for the Brazilian in his short-notice fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.

Even after his victory over Luke Rockhold in August 2022, Costa remained out of action for an extended period, only making his comeback in February 2024. The focus now shifts to Bo Nickal, as Paulo Costa challenges him to a fight. Whether the American will accept the call remains uncertain.

Throwback: When Paulo Costa gave his verdict on Bo Nickal’s rising status

“Bo Nickal is a great fighter. How’s he going to do? I think he’s terrific. He’s almost undefeated in college. When is he fighting again?” These were the words of praise from none other than Donald Trump, who also acknowledged Nickal’s skills during an appearance on the JRE podcast. What a way to gain recognition from the country’s president!

Now, with an impressive 7-0 undefeated streak, the American is quickly asserting himself in the middleweight division. Before joining the UFC, he had a decorated career in collegiate wrestling, clinching three NCAA Division 1 gold medals and one silver. Things were different a few years ago. Back in 2022, Bo Nickal made an impact on the Dana White Contender Series, clearing 6.10, and fans saw him as a potential threat to Khamzat Chimaev, who was outside the top 10 rankings at that time.

Despite acknowledging Nickal’s talent, Paulo Costa dismissed him as a serious threat to Chimaev. In an interview with MMA Junkie, the Brazilian said, “People talk a lot about Bo Nickal here in the United States, but you need to see more. He’s the real deal, a young, very talented guy, but MMA is so complicated. He needs to prove he can fight the top guys, but not against Khamzat Chimaev.”

Since then, ‘Borrachinha’ has kept a watchful eye on the American’s rise, and now, it seems the long-anticipated showdown may finally happen. Recently, Forbes suggested a potential UFC 314 matchup between Bo Nickal and Paulo Costa, headlined by Diego Lopes vs. Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant featherweight title.

Do you think Paulo Costa would be a good matchup for Bo Nickal? Meanwhile, the American fighter is already on the radar of several opponents. Drop your opinion below!