Paulo Costa expressed extreme dissatisfaction that Josh Hockett received double bonuses for his fight with Curtis Blaydes while Costa received no bonus at all. Costa acknowledged Hockett had an excellent fight and called it one of the best heavyweight bouts he's seen, but argued that his own finish of an undefeated Russian opponent with a 16-0 record over three brutal rounds deserved Performance of the Night instead. Costa revealed he was so upset that he wrote to Dana White and Hunter Campbell, calling the decision unfair and saying it made him feel terrible and want to destroy everything. He expressed hope and trust that UFC leadership would review and reverse the decision, believing they made a mistake.
Paulo Costa has gone public with his frustration after being passed over for a Performance of the Night bonus following his finish of an undefeated Russian opponent, while heavyweight Josh Hockett walked away from the same event with two separate bonus checks.
Costa, a 35-year-old Brazilian middleweight fighting out of Team Borracha, holds a 16-4 record and currently sits ranked 13th in his division. Known for his relentless pressure and volume striking, Costa lands an eye-catching 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — numbers that reflect just how punishing his offensive output can be. He finished his opponent, who entered the night with a perfect 16-0 record, across three hard rounds, a performance he argued clearly warranted post-fight recognition.
Josh Hockett's clash with fourth-ranked heavyweight Curtis Blaydes earned Hockett a double bonus. Blaydes, a 35-year-old American out of Elevation Fight Team, carries a 19-6 record and is one of the more decorated heavyweights in the division, averaging 5.38 takedown attempts per 15 minutes and landing strikes at a 50 percent clip. Costa acknowledged the Hockett-Blaydes fight was exceptional, calling it one of the best heavyweight bouts he had seen, but maintained that his own finish of an undefeated, high-record opponent deserved equal consideration.
According to Costa, the snub hit hard enough that he reached out directly to UFC president Dana White and executive Hunter Campbell to contest the decision, describing the outcome as unfair and saying it left him wanting to, in his words, destroy everything. He expressed confidence that UFC leadership would review the matter and correct what he believes was a mistake.
Why it matters
- Costa's bonus grievance puts a spotlight on how the UFC evaluates post-fight awards when multiple strong finishes occur on the same card.
- A reversal or additional bonus payment would be an unusual but not unprecedented move from UFC leadership.
- The dispute keeps Costa, currently ranked 13th at middleweight, in the public conversation as he works to climb back up the divisional ladder.
