Paulo Costa expressed extreme dissatisfaction that Josh Hokit received a double bonus for his fight with Curtis Blaydes while Costa received no bonus at all. Costa argued he deserved Performance of the Night for finishing his undefeated Russian opponent with a 16-0 record after three hard rounds of striking. He believes Hokit's fight, while excellent, did not warrant two bonuses compared to his own performance. Costa revealed he was so upset that he contacted Dana White and Hunter Campbell directly, writing that the decision made him want to "destroy everything." He expressed hope that UFC leadership will reconsider the decision, stating he believes they made a mistake and that he trusts they will take care of him.
Paulo Costa went public with his frustration over the UFC's post-fight bonus decisions following a recent event, voicing anger that Josh Hokit collected a double award while Costa walked away empty-handed despite what he described as a hard-earned finish.
Costa, a 35-year-old Brazilian middleweight ranked 13th in the division, holds a professional record of 16-4-0 and trains out of Team Borracha. Fighting out of an orthodox stance at six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, the man known as "The Eraser" is one of the more prolific strikers in the middleweight division, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He argued that finishing his undefeated Russian opponent — who carried a 16-0 record into the bout — after three grueling rounds of striking merited a Performance of the Night bonus.
Hokit, 28 and unbeaten at 5-0-0, was instead awarded two bonuses for his fight against Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes, a 35-year-old American heavyweight ranked fourth in his division with a 19-6-0 record, stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and is widely regarded as one of the sport's elite wrestlers, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Costa made clear he did not dispute the quality of Hokit's performance but questioned whether a single fight should absorb two bonuses when other fighters went unrewarded. His frustration reached a point where he reached out directly to UFC president Dana White and executive Hunter Campbell, writing that the outcome made him want to "destroy everything." He stopped short of criticizing UFC leadership outright, however, expressing trust that White and Campbell would revisit the decision and ultimately take care of him.
Why it matters
- Costa's grievance puts a spotlight on how the UFC distributes its discretionary bonus pool after events.
- A 13th-ranked middleweight with Costa's finishing ability and striking volume has a reasonable case for recognition, adding legitimacy to his complaint.
- The episode highlights tension between fighter compensation expectations and front-office discretion over bonus awards.
