Former UFC title challenger Paulo Costa looks like he might become the latest fighter to trade the Octagon for the boxing ring.
The Brazilian middleweight, 31, is 14-2 in his mixed martial arts career to date and was last seen defeating former 185-pound champ Luke Rockhold in April, and said post-fight in Salt Lake City that he had one fight remaining on his UFC deal but added that he was “looking forward” to soon becoming a free agent where he could test his value on the open market.
And judging by his latest post to social media, that moment may be fast approaching.
My miserable contract with the UFC was up in a few short months. will expire in time . A new #boxer is coming to town!🙌
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) November 3, 2022
“My miserable contract with the UFC was up in a few short months,” the Brazilian fighter wrote on Twitter. “[It] will expire in time . A new #boxer is coming to town!”
Costa’s declaration appears to suggest that a move to boxing for him is inevitable, and that he will become the latest mixed martial artist to pursue lucrative paydays in the boxing ring — with former YouTube star Jake Paul now considered a legitimate prizefighting commodity in combat sports.
Speculation has suggested that Nate Diaz might well be up next for Paul but the power-punching Costa also seems to be positioning himself for a similar challenge.
However, nothing will happen before February after the UFC announced last month that Costa will fight another former champ, Robert Whittaker, in Perth, Australia on February 12. After that? Who knows.
