“We Have Reached a Deal With the UFC…”: Paulo Costa Provides a Major Update as He Aims for a Return Against Khamzat Chimaev or Sean Strickland

Paulo Costa caused an uproar in the world of mixed martial arts with a social media post that highlighted the meager pay of a UFC fighter. He brought some facts into the light, wherein he pointed out that the majority of fighters in the UFC were not able to afford a Ford Escort. Furthermore, he demanded better payment for his fight with Robert Whittaker and claimed that he requires a new ‘six-fight deal’.

Although the Brazilian warrior hasn’t signed a contract yet, he recently clarified that the deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship was a success. The cherry on top was definitely the fighters he apparently called out. Costa revealed his desire to square off against Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland inside the Octagon. 

Paulo Costa announces his next probable fight

The Brazilian previously declared his issues with the UFC pay and claimed that it was the reason for him pulling out of a bout against Whittaker in Perth, Australia. Although the UFC world was upset about the move, they were quick to understand the motive behind Costa’s actions. However, recently in an interview with PVT, ‘Borrachinha’ teased his return.

In the interview, Costa disclosed that he has reached an understanding with the UFC with respect to the pay. However, the fighter has not yet signed the contract. Furthermore, he credited his girlfriend and manager, Tamara Alves, for the hard work. He said, “I haven’t signed the contract yet, but we have reached a deal with the UFC regarding the pay. It wasn’t easy. There was a lot of hard work. And I have to highlight [my girlfriend] Tamara [Alves’] brilliant work here.”

Read More: Paulo Costa Sounds the Alarm on Khamzat Chimaev’s Next Fight: He’s Avoided ‘Elite Fighters’

On top of that, Costa announced the probable opponents for his next bouts. The Brazilian fighter revealed that the UFC approached him and offered him a fight against Strickland in May, or the Chechen Wolf, in October for UFC 294. However, he declared that he wanted both fights. ‘Borrachinha’ said, “[The UFC] wants to make sure this Chimaev fight happen at all costs, but I want to make both happen. We’ll see.”

Dana White slammed ‘Borrachinha’ for lying about the pay

Previously in March 2023, Dana White appeared in an episode of ‘Bussin’ with the Boys’. During the talks, he addressed the accusations of low fighter pay in the UFC. Moreover, he was seemingly displeased with Costa for announcing false numbers.

White talked about the incident with the Brazilian. He said, “I just had a situation recently. And I’ll tell you who it was. It was Paulo Costa. Okay. He’s a f**king lunatic, he acts like a lunatic. And he came out publicly and kind of said what we offered him. It was the furthest f**king thing from the truth. It wasn’t true.”

Watch This Story– Dana White slammed for 1993 pay in 2023

Are you excited about Costa’s fight with Chimaev and Strickland? Let us know in the comments down below.