Josh Hockett shared screenshots of a text message exchange with Paulo Costa. In the messages, Costa demands $100,000 from Hockett, stating "100k and we're even. Return my money." Hockett responds dismissively with jokes, asking if Costa likes pizza and making crude remarks. In the caption, Hockett referred to Costa as a "stupid Brazilian." The context of Costa's monetary demand was not explained in the post.
A social media dispute between middleweight contender Paulo Costa and fighter Josh Hockett spilled into public view on April 18, when Hockett posted screenshots of a private text exchange between the two men.
In the messages, Costa demands one hundred thousand dollars from Hockett, writing "100k and we're even. Return my money." Hockett responds with dismissive humor, asking whether Costa likes pizza and including crude remarks. Hockett accompanied the post with a caption referring to Costa as a "stupid Brazilian." The nature of the underlying financial dispute was not addressed or explained in the post.
Costa, 35, is a Brazilian middleweight ranked thirteenth in his division with a professional record of 16-4-0. Fighting out of Team Borracha, the six-foot-one Orthodox striker is known for heavy offensive output, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent. Hockett does not appear in the AgentMMA verified database, and no confirmed record or ranking information is available for him at this time.
Why it matters
- The public nature of the exchange puts Costa, a ranked middleweight, in an unflattering spotlight at a time when divisional positioning matters.
- The origin of Costa's financial claim remains entirely unexplained, leaving the dispute without meaningful context.
- No official response from either fighter's management or team has been reported.
