The UFC Vegas 41 main event appears to be going ahead as planned despite Paulo Costa openly admitting he will not be making the middleweight limit ahead of his fight with Marvin Vettori.
Paulo Costa Won’t Make Middleweight Ahead Of UFC Vegas 41
On Wednesday, Costa revealed his current weight and ruled out fighting at middleweight this weekend, although he was happy to make a catchweight fight if Vettori would oblige.
“I think this fight will happen, and it won’t happen if he doesn’t want to fight me,” Costa said. “Maybe we can do a catchweight at 195, could be a more explosive and exciting fight for the fans. I think with both guys heavy, a knockout could happen.”
“I’m at [211 pounds]. It isn’t on schedule to be at middleweight anymore.”
The two men later jumped on Zoom for a joint interview with ESPN. During the call Costa called on Vettori to “be a man” and fight him at a catchweight without any extra pay.
“Don’t want me to be fined,” Costa said. “[By you saying], “Oh, if you don’t pay 30 percent, I will not fight.’ Be a man. Be a man of your words and show up to fight on Saturday.”
“You’re supposed to make weight! Every fighter here is supposed to make weight,” Vettori replied. “We have a moment, it’s called weigh-in – maybe you don’t know about it – where you’re supposed to step on the scale and be some kind of weight. We have a weight division we fight in. You act like you don’t know this part.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
After some more back and forth, Costa and Vettori agreed to fight at 195lbs. However, the final call is not with the fighters and with the UFC themselves who have confirmed the fight will go ahead at a new weight but are yet to specify exactly what that will be.
“We are working on it,” a UFC official told MMA Fighting via text. “The fight is on and it will be a catchweight bout.”
Do you think Paulo Costa should face a financial penalty for his blatant refusal to make his contracted weight limit?