Paulo Costa has important decisions to make after his third-round knockout of Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 in Miami. "Borrachinha" moved up to light heavyweight for the bout and handed previously undefeated Murzakanov the first defeat of his career, and has since revealed that his current deal with the UFC has almost expired.
Talking to AG. In the post-fight win, Costa was clear about where things stood contractually. "I have one fight left on this contract," he said. "Let's see what happens next. I think we're probably in a good position to fight for the belt."
Following a win over middleweight Roman Kopylov, the win over Murzakanov extended Costa's win streak to two fights. Costa believes the quality of his recent opponents and the manner of his victories put him in a credible position to earn a title shot at 185 or 205 pounds. He specifically pointed to Murzakanov's undefeated record and his sixth ranking in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings as proof that his latest win holds real significance in the title picture conversation.
With his contract expiring, the UFC has already approached Costa about an extension. His comments suggest he is in no rush to sign and wants to carefully evaluate his options before committing. "The UFC already wanted to renew the contract," Costa said. "We're seeing if we do one more thing and then sit down to negotiate." He was also clear that his intention was not to simply test the market or look for a more attractive deal elsewhere. "I'm very grateful to the UFC," he said. "But this is my life, right?"
Costa's backstage interview time added an interesting layer to the evening's events. Moments after he spoke, Carlos Ulberg defeated Jiri Prochazka in the opening round of the UFC 327 main event to capture the Light Heavyweight Championship, doing so on one leg after suffering an apparent knee injury during the fight. Ulberg has not yet disclosed a diagnosis or timetable for his return to the Octagon, which adds uncertainty to the 205-pound title picture that Costa now has his sights set on.
