Paulo Costa expressed extreme dissatisfaction that Josh Howitt received two bonuses for his fight with Curtis Blaydes while Costa received nothing. Costa argued that while Howitt had an excellent heavyweight fight, his own performance against an undefeated Russian opponent with a 16-0 record deserved recognition. He finished his opponent early and dominated for three rounds, believing he merited the performance bonus instead of Howitt. Costa was so upset he contacted Dana White and Hunter Campbell, stating the decision made him feel terrible and angry. He expressed hope and trust that UFC leadership will reconsider the decision, believing they made a mistake.
Paulo Costa has gone public with his frustration after Josh Howitt walked away from a recent UFC event with two post-fight bonuses while Costa received no recognition for his own performance on the same card.
Costa, the Brazilian middleweight ranked thirteenth in his division, took particular issue with the outcome given the nature of his showing. The 35-year-old finished his opponent — an undefeated Russian with a 16-0 record entering the bout — early, and by his account dominated all three rounds on the way to the stoppage. Known as "The Eraser," Costa carries one of the most dangerous outputs in the middleweight division, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and holds a professional record of 16-4.
Howitt's double bonus came in connection with his heavyweight contest against Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes, ranked fourth in the heavyweight division and fighting out of Elevation Fight Team, is a physically imposing 35-year-old American who stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and carries a 19-6 professional record. He is among the division's elite wrestlers, averaging 5.38 takedown attempts per 15 minutes.
Costa did not limit his complaints to social media. He confirmed he reached out directly to UFC president Dana White and executive Hunter Campbell to contest the decision, describing the outcome as one that left him feeling angry and disrespected. He stopped short of making ultimatums, instead expressing hope that UFC leadership would revisit the bonus allocations and acknowledging what he called a mistake on their part.
Why it matters
- Costa's grievance puts pressure on UFC management over bonus transparency and consistency
- A middleweight ranked thirteenth earning no recognition while finishing an unbeaten opponent raises questions about how performances are evaluated across weight classes on shared cards
- The dispute keeps Costa's name in the news as he works to climb back toward the top of a competitive 185-pound division
