Joe Rogan believes Paulo Costa should not consider continuing in the middleweight division. According to Rogan, if he were advising Costa's team, he would recommend moving to light heavyweight. With Carlos Ulberg sidelined for a year due to injury, Rogan suggests Costa could compete for a temporary light heavyweight title. He proposes that Costa could either fight for an interim belt while Ulberg recovers or, if Ulberg vacates the title, face Magomed Ankalaev for the championship. The post does not specify which current middleweight champion Rogan is referring to.
Joe Rogan has publicly called on Paulo Costa to abandon the middleweight division and move up to light heavyweight, suggesting the Brazilian could be in line for an interim title shot if the opportunity materializes.
Costa, 35, holds a 16-4-0 record and currently sits ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division fighting out of Team Borracha. The six-foot-one Brazilian is an aggressive, high-volume striker, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, but the path forward at 185 pounds appears limited given his ranking position.
Rogan's argument centers on an opening at light heavyweight created by Carlos Ulberg's injury absence. The City Kickboxing product, also 35, carries a 15-1-0 record and is ranked third in the division. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, Ulberg has impressed with 6.54 significant strikes landed per minute, but with a reported year-long layoff ahead, the New Zealander's timeline leaves the division unsettled. Rogan suggests that situation creates a window for Costa — either competing for an interim belt during Ulberg's absence or, should Ulberg vacate, stepping in to challenge for the full championship.
That hypothetical championship scenario would place Costa opposite Magomed Ankalaev, the division's top-ranked contender. The 34-year-old Russian carries a 21-2-1 record and is ranked fifth pound-for-pound, bringing a measured, grinding style that contrasts sharply with Costa's explosive output.
Why it matters
- Costa's middleweight ranking of thirteenth leaves him far from title contention at 185 pounds
- Ulberg's injury absence creates a genuine vacancy at the top of the light heavyweight division
- A Costa move upward would set up a potential clash of high-output striking with Ankalaev's takedown-oriented, calculated approach
- Ankalaev's position as the division's top-ranked fighter makes him the likeliest title challenger regardless of how the interim picture develops
