Paulo Costa expressed frustration over not receiving a performance bonus at a recent UFC event, while Josh Hawkit received a double bonus for his fight with Curtis Blaydes. Costa argued that his finish against an undefeated Russian opponent with a 16-0 record deserved recognition, noting he dominated for three rounds before securing the stoppage. He revealed he contacted Dana White and Hunter Campbell about the perceived injustice, describing himself as extremely upset and hoping the decision would be reconsidered. Costa believes the promotion made a mistake in awarding bonuses. The Russian opponent he defeated appears to have been previously unbeaten before their encounter.
Paulo Costa has gone public with his frustration after being passed over for a performance bonus at a recent UFC event, taking his complaint directly to the promotion's top brass.
The Brazilian middleweight, ranked 13th in his division, finished an undefeated Russian opponent who carried a 16-0 record into the bout. Costa says he controlled the fight across three rounds before securing the stoppage, and he believes that kind of performance warranted bonus recognition. He confirmed he reached out to both Dana White and Hunter Campbell to express his displeasure, describing himself as extremely upset and urging the promotion to reconsider its decision.
Costa, who fights out of Team Borracha, is 35 years old and holds a professional record of 16 wins and 4 losses. He is among the more active strikers in the middleweight division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — figures that reflect the pressure-heavy, aggressive style he brought into this latest outing.
Instead of recognizing Costa's finish, the UFC awarded a double bonus to Josh Hawkit for his fight against Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes, a 35-year-old heavyweight from the United States, competes out of Elevation Fight Team and is currently ranked fourth in his division with a record of 19-6. He is one of the sport's elite wrestlers, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Costa believes the UFC made an error and has escalated his complaint to senior leadership, a rare and public move.
- Finishing a previously unbeaten 16-0 fighter in dominant fashion strengthens Costa's argument that the performance met bonus criteria.
- As a ranked middleweight with elite striking output, Costa's push for recognition carries weight in a competitive 185-pound division.
