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Paulo Costa is tired of waiting on the sidelines, and he is willing to climb all the way to heavyweight to break his promotional deadlock. On Thursday, Oct. 1, the Brazilian middleweight took to X to pitch himself as a short-notice replacement for a fight quietly being discussed for UFC 335 on Dec. 12: a clash against feared knockout artist Sergei Pavlovich, should negotiations with former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex "Poatan" Pereira fall through.
"If Alex isn’t want to fight Sergei Pavlovich put me in. 3 rds. 6 weeks," Costa posted. The public offer from the Contagem, Minas Gerais native is a direct reaction to growing frustration over his current contractual status with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Costa has one fight remaining on his current UFC contract, but the promotion’s delay in booking his next opponent has effectively frozen his career. After rebounding in April with a technical knockout victory over Russia's Azamat Murzakanov, "Borrachinha" has sat idle for nearly six months. Unable to fulfill his final bout, he remains stuck in promotional limbo, unable to explore his future options in mixed martial arts or re-negotiate terms.
The sudden willingness to jump past the 205-pound division into heavyweight also reflects a long-standing physical battle. Squeezing his frame down to the middleweight limit of 84 kg (185 lbs) has been an ongoing struggle for Costa, who publicly described the severe weight-cutting process as sofrido demais
(too painful). Prior to his heavyweight pitch, Costa had openly targeted a move to light heavyweight (93 kg), viewing the 205-pound division as open and volatile enough to grant him a path toward an interim belt—especially following his middleweight defeat to Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 and his earlier title defeat to Israel Adesanya in 2020.
However, with internal UFC discussions swirling around a potential UFC 335 matchup between Pereira and Pavlovich, Costa saw an immediate opening. Rather than undergoing another grueling weight cut or waiting indefinitely for a 205-pound assignment, Costa is seeking to leverage six weeks of preparation to face one of the heaviest punchers in the sport over a three-round frame.
Evidence-Led Forecast: The Heavyweight Pitch vs. UFC Reality
Likely Tactical Pattern: Should the UFC grant Costa's request to step in against Sergei Pavlovich, the fight presents an explosive clash of styles over three rounds. Costa’s natural power and aggressive forward pressure—previously lethal at 185 pounds—would be immediately tested against a legitimate heavyweight power-puncher. Without the physical drain of a massive weight cut, Costa would theoretically retain more durability and stamina, allowing him to throw heavy body kicks and hooks without gassing early.
Decisive Matchup: The critical variable lies in frame and impact tolerance. Pavlovich operates as a towering heavyweight threat capable of ending fights in early exchanges. For Costa, surviving Pavlovich's initial reach and punch output without getting clipped clean in the opening minutes is the sole condition for dragged-out success.
Strongest Counter-Case: The primary obstacle to this fight taking place is not stylistic, but matchmaker willingness. The UFC may prefer to hold Costa for a ranked opponent at 205 pounds or complete his contract in a traditional middleweight matchup rather than burn a high-profile heavyweight slot on a late-notice experiment, particularly if negotiations with Pereira are still active.
What Would Change the Read: Official confirmation from UFC management regarding Pereira's availability for Dec. 12 will immediately dictate whether Costa's six-week pitch remains a viable emergency option or simply another campaign to force the promotion's hand.
Sources
These sources formed the evidence pack for this article. Links open the original publisher; inclusion does not imply endorsement.
- lutasmma.com original
- agfight.com original
- uol.com.br original
- gazetaesportiva.com original
