Dana White has indicated that a light heavyweight interim title fight is a possibility. White also commented on the situation surrounding Paulo Costa, saying UFC matchmakers are currently in discussions with him.
Dana White has indicated that the UFC is open to crowning an interim light heavyweight champion, while also revealing that matchmakers are currently in talks with middleweight contender Paulo Costa.
White's comments on the light heavyweight division suggest the promotion may move forward with an interim title bout rather than wait on the full championship picture to resolve itself. No fighters or timeline were specified in his remarks.
On the separate matter of Costa, the Brazilian middleweight finds himself back in the conversation with UFC matchmakers working to find him a next opponent. Costa, 35, carries a 16-4-0 record and holds the number 13 ranking in the middleweight division. Fighting out of Team Borracha in an orthodox stance, the six-foot-one Brazilian is one of the more aggressive strikers in the division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute with an eye-catching 58 percent striking accuracy. He is not a grappling-heavy fighter, averaging just 0.32 takedowns per 15 minutes and recording no submission attempts to speak of.
Why it matters
- A light heavyweight interim title would add an active champion to a division where the full title situation remains unsettled
- Costa's return to matchmaking discussions could place him back in the middleweight rankings conversation in the near term
- His high-volume, high-accuracy striking style makes him an attractive opponent for a number of contenders in the top 15
