Paulo Costa has publicly stated he is ready to move up to heavyweight immediately to face Josh Howitt. Costa believes fans would be excited to see him, potentially the largest middleweight in history, compete at heavyweight without a weight cut at the White House event. He suggests he might even outweigh Howitt on fight night. Costa proposes replacing Derrick Lewis's originally planned opponent if the UFC still wants Lewis on the card, giving him a different matchup instead. Additionally, Costa mentioned he could reclaim the $100,000 he claims Howitt "owes" him if the fight is booked. The post includes a poll asking fans whether they prefer Costa versus Howitt or Howitt versus Lewis.
UFC White House
Sunday, June 14, 2026









